Sir ends scarcity

Pat Murphy breathed a sigh of relief when Sir Joey became the Bristol trainer's first Flat winner for 266 days in the Stewards Trial Handicap at Chepstow yesterday.

"That was just what the doctor ordered," Murphy said. "We've had about 16 placed horses but couldn't get a winner. But now it's a case of Stewards Cup here we come!

''Sir Joey ran in the race once before but couldn't cope with the track at Goodwood, which is amazing as he's scored three times on the undulations here," he said.

At Edinburgh yesterday, Mick Channon reached his fastest half-century in the six years he has held a trainer's licence when completing a favourites double with Jambo and Sporting Fantasy.

The Upper Lambourn trainer sent three horses on the 750 miles round-trip from his stables and pulled off a hat-trick - Halbert having won over the same course the previous evening.