AGMA Stablemate Carlisle Bell
Handicap, Carlisle 15:30 £31,200 added, 7f 173y, Class 4
Wednesday 27th June 2018

1 Waarif 6/1
2 Raselasad 40/1
3 Presidential 7/1
15 ran NR: Balestra, Be Kool Distances: ¾l, 1½l, 1l
Time: 1m 35.84s (fast by 2.16s)

Waarif
© Grossick Photography

Waarif came with a nicely-timed run to open his account for David O’Meara and Middleham Park Racing under Conor McGovern.

With a total prize fund of just over £31,000 up for grabs, the one-mile contest was the main attraction on one of the biggest days of the year at the Cumbrian circuit.

The bells themselves are reputed to be the oldest sporting trophy in the world, having first been presented in 1599 when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne.

Middleham Park had landed the prize two years ago with the Keith Dalgleish-trained Edgar Balthazar and were double-handed in their bid to strike again, with 6-1 shot Waarif joined by Mulligatawny from Roger Fell’s yard.

Widely unconsidered 40-1 shot Raselasad cut out much of the running, but Waarif was always on his tail under 5lb claimer Conor McGovern and came home best to score by three-quarters of a length.

Tim Palin, racing manager for the winning owners, said: “The Carlisle Bell is coming home! We won it two years ago with Edgar Balthazar, who broke the track record, and I’m told Waarif has broken his track record today.

“That was his 13th run for us and his first win. We actually wrote to the handicapper about him as he’d been been campaigned honestly but has been victim of his own consistency.

“We’ve had this in mind for a couple of runs and for the horse to a win a race of this stature is great.

“I think he deserved it.”

Carlisle Bell
£31,200 added, 7f 173y, Class 4
15 ran
Going: Good to Firm