This feature was published in the Racing Post prior to Savile's Delight's win on Monday - www.racingpost.co.uk

cuttings library - www.racingpost.co.uk

Savile's Delight can ping and make all

Published: 14/01/2008 (Features) MARK WINSTANLEY

IF THERE was an award for young trainer of the 2007 Flat season, surely Tom Dascombe would have won in a hack canter. The up-and-coming Lambourn handler had a marvellous summer, and I'm going to follow his career - and horses - very closely in the next few years.
The ex-jump jockey has a cracking record with his older horses at Southwell, where he boasted a 40 per cent strike-rate at the racecourse with the most over-head telephone cables, before the floods washed the sands away in mid-summer.
Savile's Delight is not the easiest beast to win with, but if the nine-year-old doesn't land the amateur riders' handicap (12.40) over 5f today off a perch of 45 he will struggle to win any horserace.
The veteran was heavily backed to land a 6f handicap on this course in the middle of December, but his jockey decided to stick to the inside running rail, which turned out to be the slowest part of the track on that day.
As that was the first race, no blame should be attached to the rider and horse, who came home sixth.
There is no doubt that Michaela Sowerby is far and away the best jockey in this race, and, drawn bang against the stands' rail in stall nine of nine, I'm hoping she can ping the old boy out and make all.
Similar tactics worked for Orpen's Art over course and distance last Thursday. To be perfectly honest, I've not heard of the other amateur jockeys, although Miss L Allan can probably sing. Michaela had only one ride for Dascombe last season, when she gave Sawwaah a peach of a ride to capture a 15-runner ladies' handicap at Newbury in June. The same animal obliged at Lingers last Saturday, so we know the stable is in form.
Looking at the rest of the opposition, it's hard to find a second, and if Savile's Delight retains any of the ability that saw him finish third off a mark of 62 at this track in 2006, he will win this.
He also scored off 74 over the minimum trip in 2005 at Windsor when under the wing of Roy Brotherton, when he showed bundles of early pace.