Yorkshire trainers upset the odds

Winnerless for 10 weeks, Tate’s Prince of Johanne was a 40-1 winner of the Betfred Cambridgeshire an hour after Reveley’s Benny Be Good won Market Rasen’s valuable Totepool Prelude Handicap Chase at odds of 16-1.

Both winners are horses to follow – and are testament to the ability of the trainers, both of whom have been critical of horse racing’s governance, to land major prizes from relatively small yards.

Tate attributed his Newmarket victory to the unseasonably fast ground, even though he thought young Irish apprentice John Fahy hit the front too soon.

“It’s a great day. I could tell you I’d laid him out for this all season but it wouldn’t be true. He’s been consistent, so I suppose the form was there, but the ground has really helped him,” said the Tadcaster trainer.

“What a way to get off the ‘cold’ list. I thought he came too soon, but he kept it up. I was thinking the handicapper may have got to grips with him, but he’s always very consistent and has run nothing but good races – he needs fast ground.”

In this 32-runner cavalry charge over 11 furlongs, the field split into two big groups from the off with those drawn high, including Prince Of Johanne, sticking to the near side and many of the fancied runners racing down the centre of the track.

It looked to be pretty even at halfway but when the runners started to converge, Fahy, second last year on Steele Tango, set sail for home.

Although it looked as though he may be swamped a furlong out, Prince Of Johanne was game and held on by a length-and-three-quarters from Stevie Thunder, with Proponent third.

Neither Frankie Dettori’s well-backed Man of Action, nor William Buick’s fast-finishing Questioning had clear runs – but that should not detract from the quality of the winning ride.

Fahy, a three-pound apprentice who was celebrating the biggest win of his career, said: “He’s really tough. The ground has been key to him – he handled the quick ground well. It’s happy days. It’s pretty special, to be honest.”

Saltburn-based Reveley’s Benny Be Good was the beneficiary of an inspired ride by the trainer’s son James.

The eight-year-old, twice a winner at Sedgefield at the end of last season, outbattled Buck Mulligan after Noble Allan parted company with Brian Harding two out.

This is a horse who will land bigger races this season and who was helped by the jockey’s growing strength in the finish.

Reveley junior was completing a double after landing the opener on Royale’s Charter for his retained trainer, Nick Williams, whose Hennessy hero, Diamond Harry, is on course to reappear in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase next month.

The jockey then suffered two reverses – he was unseated from the Williams-trained Urbain De Sivola at the first hurdle before losing both irons on Jawaab and having to take emergency action to pull up the horse.

After riding in Italy yesterday, he is chasing valuable prize money at Dieppe tomorrow aboard Williams’s Sarika in the Grand Steeple-Chase.

His prowess in the saddle was noted by John Francome, the former champion jockey, who noted: “James has not stopped improving. He rides nicely and doesn’t go beating horses up. If they’re not going to win, he saves them for another day.”

Richard Fahey’s 2010 Royal Ascot victor Marine Commando returned to winning ways when winning the Lester Piggott Start To Finish Handicap at Haydock under Freddie Tylicki, the former champion apprentice.

Top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien is still unsure who will ride Eclipse winner So You Think in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. A decision is expected midweek.

John Gosden’s Nathaniel, the winner of the King George at Ascot under William Buick, will not run if the Longchamp ground is on the firm side. He is worried that a dry week is forecast for Paris.