Jockey Faye McManoman delivers Theme Park thrills with fine victory at Doncaster

The 13-2 shot for the penultimate race was held up in the rear of the contest run over a mile as stablemate Whisky Pete (50-1) cut out the running under three-pound claimer Alex Jary along with Albeyours.

Running up the home straight Whisky Pete was still there as Theme Park closed looking for a gap two out.

Several had chances as Chilly Breeze took over but as Whisky Pete started to tire McManoman drove Theme Park through the gap and from there there was only one winner as he ran on strongly to prevail by a length-and-a-quarter, with Chilly Breeze second for trainer Ian Williams and Ryan Kavanagh (7-1) and Mick Appleby’s Boubyan (13-2), third for Joanna Mason.

McManoman said: “He went through the gap nicely. Just bumping into that little bit of heavy traffic – he seemed to find a bit extra for it. I’m chuffed with him.

“I was thinking ‘should I just go round them’ and it got very tight at one point – but the gap opened just enough for us and we got through.” “It’s been a bit difficult [Theme Park] because he is not always the easiest out.

“But Nigel said ‘just give him a roar!’ so I was down there roaring my head off! But he jumped okay and the sedate pace helped him early on.

“Whisky Pete gave me a good tow into the race. The plan was for him to go forward and you have to ride a patient race on hi and it paid off.”

McManoman has been at Tinkler’s Malton yard nearly 10 years and rode her 100th winner for the stable earlier this season.

She said: “I’m just like family, really, part of the furniture. It is great to have that relationship and I appreciate the chances and there are some lovely horses.”

Earlier, the opening feature British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes went to Jassas (6-4 fav) for William Buick and Godolphin.

It was an appropriate winner as the jockey is a lead ambassador for Autism in Racing who were also part of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Festival, sponsored by Sky Bet’s Raceday’s fixture.

The second race – the Doncaster Supports Autism In Racing EBF Novice Stakes – recognised that fact and produced an exciting finish with Buick and Interstate (5-2) for Godolphin and John and Thady Gosden chasing the well-backed 2-7 favourite Round the Table and David Egan all the way to the line. The winner prevailing by a neck for a Newmarket one-two.

The feature six-furlong Sky Bet Go-Racing-In-Yorkshire Summer Festival Nursery also went to a southern raider as Richard Hannon’s Shadow King (10-1) and Sean Levey finished off strongly to deny 6-4 fancy Jumeirah Storm for William Knight and jockey Neil Callan.

Mick Appleby’s Ay Up Duck (11-1) took the six-furlong Summer Saturdays At Doncaster Handicap for five-pound claimer Mason Paetel denying Ivan Furtado’s Alfa Duplicate (9-2) by a neck in an exciting finish.

Levey completed a double on the day when steering Doncaster trainer Jessica Macey’s Commander Of Life (7-4 fav) to victory in the Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap over seven furlongs.

The winner made speedy progress down the stands side to hit the front in the final furlong and went on to land the odds by length-and-a-quarter from Farandaway (11-4) and Oliver Stammers.

The trainer missed the win as she was down at Sandown to see Smart Vision finish fourth in the Tony Linnett Memorial Handicap.

At the same meeting jockey Rossa Ryan was banned for 28 days at Sandown for “failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures” on Thunder Home, which was adjudged by the stewards to have cost him victory in a photo finish with the Gosdens’ Zero Error, ridden by former champion jockey Jamie Spencer.