DEAN IVORY created a little piece of Harper Lodge Farm history tonight as the trainer landed his 400th career success at Wolverhampton, courtesy of Hello Girl.
The Bated Breath juvenile filly, having her fifth start, went off the 8/13 favourite under Franny Norton and it never looked in doubt as the pair coasted through most of the 5f contest before the 47-year-old jockey shook the reins and went clear to win easily by three and three-quarter lengths.
One of the veterans of the weighing room was marking his 50th win of the season and he won’t have an easier winner all season!
Dean first took out a licence in 2002 and has continued the great work by his father and mentor, Ken Ivory. He was known as a very good trainer of sprinters and while Dean’s best horses such as Tropics, Sirius Prospect, Lancelot Du Lac and Librisa Breeze have been sprinters, there is greater strength in depth across the distances. Indeed, two of Dean’s winners have been over jumps!
The last four years have all been record-breaking years and who’d bet against this not being another?