Jm Jungle and Jason Hart (green) lead them home© Photo Healy Racing
Jm Jungle went two better than last year when running out a relatively convincing winner of the Symphony Group Handicap at York.
Victory for the John and Sean Quinn-trained sprinter ensured the Ebor meeting began with a local winner as the Malton-based duo landed the first prize pot of over £60,000.
Third last year off a mark of 92, having won at Goodwood previously, he had dropped to a mark of 88, having gone winless this term.
With an extra 89 yards further than his normal five-furlong trip to conquer, Jm Jungle travelled sweetly having tracked the pace-setting top weight Democracy Dilemma before Jason Hart asked for his effort.
He quickly put the race to bed and beat the prolific Jordan Electrics by three-quarters of a length, with Looking For Lynda back in third.
John Quinn said: “He hasn’t had a lot of luck and he got his luck today.
“He was just beaten in this race last year when he was drawn on the stands’ side. It didn’t work out for him at Goodwood last time and he ran a great race here in May when he was drawn on the wrong side as well.
“He was fourth in the Rockingham at the Curragh too, so he’s had some fairly solid runs and he got his break today.
“When the draw (stall six) came out and the ground was dry, we were delighted and it’s great to get a winner here so early in the week. We’ll look at all the big sprint handicaps and just roll away.”
There was an all-Irish finish to the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap as Pat O’Donnell’s Extensio followed up his Fairyhouse success with supreme authority to account for Gordon Elliott’s 3-1 favourite Samui.
Ridden by Joey Sheridan, the seven-year-old – who was sent off at 14-1 – romped home two lengths clear of his compatriot to ignite dreams of a Royal Ascot bid next year.
“He’s a lucky horse. I got him cheaply and got him luckily – and I don’t think we’re finished yet,” said O’Donnell, who was a Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer in 1995.
“I gave Joey no instructions, I just said ‘be the last to challenge’, and he was. He was one of the first off the bridle, I could see Joey rowing along and I loved to see that, as I knew he would come home strong – and he did.
“I have to admit, we spoke about it and said if he won today we would work back from Royal Ascot next summer. That is a big shout, but he’s a family horse and I think we’re entitled as a family to aim there with him. We won’t be going for the scenery either.
“I’ve entered him in the Irish Cesarewitch and what can I say? We’re here in Yorkshire, Peter Easterby is here – he is one of my idols. It’s unbelievable.”
There was no catching David O’Meara’s Star Of Lady M as she scorched up the Knavesmire to land the Visit Irish Yearling Sale With ITM Fillies’ Handicap with ease.
Sent off at 13-2, she left the opposition trailing in her wake to strike by four and a quarter lengths and follow up her win at Newmarket last month.
“She obviously enjoyed the fast ground and she was probably on the right part of the track over there, which looked like where the action was all day,” said O’Meara.
“It is a surprise, as she has been running so much, we didn’t think she had that much in hand. But fast ground and the tailwind and everything may have exaggerated it.
“She was a good filly at two and like a lot of those good fillies, they can lose their way a little bit, but she’s come back with a bang.
“We love having winners here and a winner on the first day of the Ebor meeting is great. It’s a five-furlong race today and we hope we run well in the one-mile-six race on Saturday.”
There was also a Yorkshire-trained winner of the concluding Sky Bet Nursery Handicap, as Yes I’m Mali proved best of Richard Fahey’s three runners to land the spoils at odds of 12-1.
“He would have been the least fancied for me but it just shows you what trainers know, I suppose,” said Fahey
“I’m just delighted to get a winner here, it takes the pressure off (for the week) and I can just relax now.
“He had run a good race at Goodwood (when fifth) but I’m delighted he has won today.”
