Racing: Mackay plays a successful waiting game on Missile

Jamie Mackay deserved praise for his winning ride on Missile Toe in the Tote Handicap at Nottingham yesterday. The young rider kept his mount covered up in the middle of the field while Burj Al Arab and Taabeer cut out much of the early pace.

As the leaders fell back Mackay brought his mount with a well-timed run which saw the veteran nine-year-old win cosily by a length and a quarter.

There were some dramatic moments in the paddock before the Monet Maiden Stakes when George Baker was thrown by the outsider Tempting Tilly. The filly ran off around the course but was eventually caught while Baker was lucky to escape with no more than a bruised ankle.

The Henry Cecil-trained Verasina went off a hot 8-13 favourite for the race but she showed a touch of temperament when going down by short head to Mythic.

Cecil's runner looked to be cruising two furlongs out but when Richard Quinn asked the daughter of Woodman for an extra effort one and a half furlongs out she found very little as Mythic fought back gamely on the rails.

The pair were neck and neck at the line but James Fanshawe's 4-1 shot just got the verdict in a photo.

James Toller's Yertle overcame a 292-day absence to take the closing Come Racing On Saturday Classified Stakes. Simon Whitworth settled the gelding in mid-division before launching his challenge two furlongs out.

Although he headed Look First, the latter fought back well but he could not find the extra to overhaul Yertle who hung on by half a length.

Paul Fitzsimons brought Parkside Pursuit with a late challenge to steal the honours in a blanket finish to the Pablo Picasso Handicap. A furlong out any one of about eight runners were in with a chance. But it was the John Bradley-trained runner who got up by a neck from Tomthevic, while Redoubtable recovered from a slow start to finish an admirable third.