Auxiliary enjoys Wetherby win as £3.5m hospitality area opens

Even though the official opening won’t be staged until October, it is being used for the track’s final two meet Flat meetings of the summer.

Called the Millennium West Stand, it also provided welcome relief for those rain-soaked and wind-swept spectators who braved the elements for The Yorkshire Post’s annual Ladies Day meeting.

“The owners and trainers seem very pleased with it so far,” said Wetherby chief executive Jonjo Sanderson. “When you think what it replaced, it is a very impressive addition to our facilities.”

On an attritional afternoon, The Yorkshire Post Magazine Handicap went to Auxiliary for Middleham trainer Patrick Holmes and jockey Daniel Tudhope.

The rider later completed a double, winning the Life & Style Median Auction Maiden Stakes on Star Gypsy for two-time Epsom Derby-winning trainer Luca Cumani.

Veteran Sheriff Hutton trainer Mick Easterby’s Magic City, ridden by Nathan Evans, was a popular winner for the in-form yard while the Richard Fahey-trained Dan Troop just beat stablemate Right Action by a nose in the seven furlong handicap.

Dan Troop was ridden by former champion jockey Paul Hanagan who says Wetherby is a welcome addition to the Flat roster in the North.

This is the third year that the historic track, synonymous with National Hunt action in the depths of the winter, has staged Flat fixtures.

With a third and final meeting planned for June 19, Sanderson is hopeful that the British Horseracing Authority will authorise additional fixtures in time.

He said 134 horses were declared for the May 15 meeting and 125 for yesterday’s fixture, although the wet weather meant there were a significant number of non-runners.

Yet, with stables for just 91 horses, he says runners are being balloted out. Acknowledging that Flat trainers like the galloping track, Sanderson says more meetings will be required to justify building new stables.

“We would like more than the three or four Flat meetings that we have now,” said Sanderson who stressed, again, that Wetherby’s priority will always be jumps racing.

“Depending how many fixtures will get, it will determine how many new stables we can get.”

This ambition was welcomed by the aforementioned Hanagan who said: “It’s a great track. There’s a bit of a downhill run, and stiff finish, but it is a fair track. I just wish there were more fixtures here. It’s a class track.”

Muthmir, who has won notable races at York and Doncaster, is in line to bid for sprint honours in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot following his victory at Chantilly on Sunday. The horse is trained by Skipton-born William Haggas.

Next Sensation, a 2015 Cheltenham winner, has been retired. The horse, trained by Michael Scudamore, was ridden to Grand Annual Chase glory by his older brother Tom in a race that will be remembered as Sir AP McCoy’s National Hunt Festival farewell.

John Ferguson has stepped down as chief executive and racing manager of Godolphin – bringing to an end a quarter of a century working for Sheikh Mohammed.

His position became “untenable” following media reports indicating unrest, not least over the quality of bloodstock purchases.