LUCYMAI was one of five stable runners yesterday, the first in 2018 and she made a winning reappearance under stable apprentice, Jack Duern, to give the yard a great start to the New Year.
The 5yo daughter of Multiplex finished last year with a facile four and a half lengths victory in a 7f handicap at Chelmsford. Last night she defied a 10lb rise to win over course and distance by one and a half lengths from stablemate, Firmdecisions. Jack Duern gave the mare a good ride, chasing the leaders, going second four out before taking it up inside the distance to win comfortably.
Lucymai started her career in fine fettle, when winning on her debut as a juvenile in 2015 on the all-weather at 50/1! She won at Chelmsford over 7f last May off a mark of 66 and repeated the act off 71 in November. She clearly loves the Essex track and after yesterday’s authoritative display, there may be more to come.
Firmdecisions is a 7f specialist and he bounced back to form under Robert Winston to finish a fine second and maybe he bumped into an improving sort!
The stable’s first runner of the year was Bobby Vee, who looked to have an impossible draw on the wide outside at Wolverhampton. Drawn ten of ten in a 6f handicap, she was bounced out by Jack Duern to get a position and soon led. Although headed inside the final furlong, the 4yo chestnut filly stayed on to be a clear third at 14/1.
All-weather horse of the year for 2016, Tangramm, like Lucymai, finished 2017 in winning form but yesterday didn’t enjoy the run of the race off a slow pace but the five-times course winner still finished second, beaten just a length under Charles Bishop.
Congratulations to Lucymai’s winning owner Roger Beadle, a good supporter of the yard and well done to stable jockey, Jack Duern who had a win and a third from two rides.