All smiles before and after Swan gets down to serious business of steering home Miami Gator

THERE were plenty of smiles in the sun, handshakes, the occasional wink and floods of banter before and after in the weighing room but yesterday's Legends race on the opening day of the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster was never less than serious with a champion jockey and a rapidly-improving three-year-old taking the spoils.

The race – officially titled the Fudge and Smudge Leger Legends Classified Stakes – was the brainchild of former trainer Jack Berry, whose remaining ambition in life is to see the completion in the North of a facility for injured jockeys to match that named in honour of Lord Oaksey in Lambourn.

Berry works throughout the year to raise funds for the Injured Jockeys' Fund and that organisation was one of two charities to benefit from yesterday's race, the Northern Racing College at nearby Bawtry being the other, and such was the support several bookmakers donated their takings on the race.

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Lester Piggott presented the trophy to winning connections of Miami Gator, owned and trained at Leyburn by Mrs Elaine Burke, following a clever ride from former Irish National Hunt champion Charlie Swan, whose name will be forever linked to the great Champion Hurdler Istabraaq.

Swan had 9-2 co-favourite Miami Gator swiftly into his stride as the gates opened and was never headed over the straight mile as the gelding recorded his fourth victory of the summer with Legal Legacy, the other market leader with Dale Gibson in the saddle, second and Aflaam, ridden by Graham Bradley, who was celebrating his 50th birthday, third at 8-1.

Behind them were a collection of great jockeys from both branches of the racing game, including former Classic winners Pat Eddery, Ernie Johnson, John Reid and Kevin Darley as well as a posse of National Hunt heroes such as John Francome, Steve Smith-Eccles, Graham Thorner and Tony Dobbin.

It was a great occasion and one which will – if the redoubtable Berry has his way – become integral to future Leger Festivals.

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Another champion – hopefully to be crowned at the end of this Flat season – in action on Town Moor was Paul Hanagan, who was also celebrating his birthday, having been born exactly 20 years after Bradley.

Hanagan was seen at his best as he gave a sympathetic but none-the-less determined ride to Barefoot Lady to record the second success of her career in the AJ Webb and Sons Fresh Produce Suppliers Conditions race after opening her account at Beverley.

Hanagan went on to complete a double when he pounced on Myplacelater, a 22-1 chance, in the final strides to catch Jamie Spencer who had appeared a certain winner of the Wilson Field Neurocare Conditions Stakes on Wigmore Hall with the line almost within reach.

Spencer was seen to rather better effect when he extricated Prohibit from a road-block to take the day's most valuable race, the Listed Scarbrough Stakes.

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Hanagan and Rose Blossom had scorched away from the stalls and when Spencer asked Prohibit for his effort he found Hanagan's mount and Tom Eaves aboard Moorhouse Lad locked together in front of him.

A flick of the reins, a rapid change of direction and Prohibit (9-2) was in space, going away to win in style. Rose Blossom hung on for second place at 5-1 with Frankie Dettori third on the 15-8 favourite Group Therapy.

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