Trainer Karl Burke celebrated a one-two in the feature Listed Betway Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park on Saturday 5th February, with Spycatcher overhauling Lord Of The Lodge in a thrilling finish.
Spycatcher was the pick of stable jockey Clifford Lee in the six-furlong Fast-Track Qualifier despite being the lowest rated of Burke’s three runners, but backers of the well-supported second-favourite would have been anxious at the halfway stage.
After being hampered at the start, Spycatcher was under pressure in last place at the three-furlong pole and still had the whole field in front of him rounding the home bend.
Front runner One Night Stand was challenged on all sides entering the final furlong, with Spycatcher charging down the centre of the course to get up on the line.
The winning distance was a neck from Lord Of The Lodge, with 15/8 favourite Good Effort a length and a quarter further behind. Burke’s other runner Exalted Angel was sixth after being hampered in the straight.
Lee said of the 3/1 winner: “I wasn’t the quickest out of the stalls and got wiped out a bit, but I knew there was a lot of pace in the race and Spycatcher is a big finisher.
“When he won at Newmarket last year, they went quick and he finished really well, and it’s great he has done it again today.
“I couldn’t really go with them early doors and I was half struggling, but when I got stuck into him, he picked up.
“All three of Karl’s horses are good horses and this lad has been working really well. I had plenty of confidence before the race.”
Explaining his decision to ride Spycatcher, Lee said: “For most of the week I was planning to ride Lord Of The Lodge.
“I won on Lord Of The Lodge at Kempton last time out, but when I went through the race properly, I thought the amount of likely pace would suit a closer like Spycatcher.
“I am glad it has worked out and his performance bodes well for Finals Day because the straight track at Newcastle should play to his strengths.”
Earlier on the card, Fancy Man teed himself up for bigger targets later this month with an impressive comeback in the Listed Betway Winter Derby Trial for Richard Hannon and Sean Levey.
A dual G3 runner-up last year, Fancy Man was having his first start since winning a conditions race at Lingfield Park in September.
Held up in midfield, the four-year-old travelled strongly on the outside approaching the home turn before running on well in the straight to win by two and a quarter lengths from King Of The South.
Hannon said: “That was Fancy Man’s first run for a long time and he would have needed it.
“We took him to Kempton last week and he worked very well, so we decided to give him a run here to hopefully build him up for either the Winter Derby or the Amir Trophy in Qatar.
“Fancy Man is a different horse now. Adrian McCarthy rides out for us now and since he’s got on him, it has been the making of him.
“There was a frustrating period with the horse when we were not sure trip-wise. He would arrive there on the bridle but wouldn’t go and win the race – or couldn’t – but he looks like he is over that now.
“At the moment, the first preference is to go to Qatar and the horse is due to fly out there on Friday week. The race is worth a lot of money and the horse is in great shape.
“The Winter Derby will be a very good race with good sponsorship from Betway and I would love to tell them that we are running there, but I think Qatar is more likely at this stage.”
Levey said: “Fancy Man’s biggest attribute is that he is a high blower even at a high tempo – he just gets into a real good rhythm at a high pace, which allows him to finish out his races.
“If anything, he probably lacks a turn of foot. Even though on this occasion it looked like he has a turn of foot, I had to get going earlier than you would like.
“He has not run for a while and is inclined to be a bit keen. He is a full horse who carries a bit of condition and I did not want to be up there battling from the get-go. It was pretty straightforward really.
“We went around the turn at a good pace and I was just allowing him to drift out a bit to hold his balance. Once he straightened up, he was fine, although he was a bit lonely near the end.
“He is a horse we always thought a lot of and we knew he would get better with age. When you wait this long with them and they start their campaign like this, you can only look forward to them.”
