Racing: Ahern proves perfect man for all weathers

Lingfield specialist excels with treble as artificial surface provides a midwinter oasis

The embarrassing moment here before Christmas when Eddie Ahern rode a finish a circuit too soon, earning a costly two-week suspension, has already been shown on A Question of Sport. But there is nothing like a howler to concentrate the mind and what happened next is that the young Irish jockey has grabbed 2003 by the throat.

Yesterday his rehabilitation continued with a sparkling 164-1 treble, on the newcomer Perfect Love (9-2) for his guvnor Gerard Butler in the opener, gambled-on Makulu (7-1 from 14-1) in the 10-furlong handicap for Brian Meehan and Royal Trigger (11-4) in the maiden over the same distance for Barry Hills.

It brought his score to eight in three days' riding and marked the second successive Saturday that he has taken the plaudits on the all-weather, which has been thrust into the spotlight with jump racing frozen off. A week previously, he persuaded another Butler inmate, the notoriously difficult Compton Commander, to win the day's feature in the final 50 yards. "I am very pleased with my start to the new year," said Ahern yesterday, "and to put that awful moment behind me."

It was here in October 1989 that Niklas Angel and his trainer, Conrad Allen, put themselves in the quiz books by winning Britain's first race on an all-weather track. Then, the new branch of the sport was seen as low-grade betting fodder, despised by purists, but attitudes have changed. The sport on the three dirt tracks – Southwell and Wolverhampton are the other two – does more than plug the gaps in the traditional winter game of jumping. It is not yet perfect but has taken on a life and identity of its own, exemplified by yesterday's spirited eight-race programme.

By common consent the best surface, the oil-and-sand mixture that is Polytrack, is here; its installation 18 months ago has brought the Surrey course new respect among the professionals. No less an operator than Aidan O'Brien brought Castle Gandolfo over last spring to give him a test-run for the Kentucky Derby.

Butler, another of the top-league turf players, intends to tune his 2,000 Guineas candidate Elusive City in the seven-furlong Spring Cup, whose £75,000 purse, could not have existed even in the fantasies of the all-weather pioneers. The three-year-old made his juvenile debut here, as did another of the Blewbury trainer's stars, Nayyir.

"The point about this course is that it is a very safe surface," explained Butler. "The horses come out of it well and confident, and they don't get jarred up. And being able to plan ahead is essential. As far as Elusive City is concerned, I know exactly what the ground here will be in two months' time."

With yesterday's winner Perfect Love, it was a case of job done. "She is the first foal of an unraced mare racing for her breeders, and we've made her a winner," said Butler. "I brought her down here for a look round last week, just to tip the scales in our favour, and although she was green, as soon as her head was turned for home she knew where to go. She had been going nicely at home and was ready for a race, but without the all-weather I'd have had to wait until the turf season, on who knows what ground in a 30-runner maiden. This all may have started off as a betting medium, but it has moved up quite a few notches now."

Butler uses the system; that he stands second in the all-weather seasonal statistics is incidental to him. The existence of the circuit, though, is a lifeline to those further down the overall food chain, like the Newmarket-based pair Nick Littmoden, at present the leading trainer, and Jimmy Quinn, challenging for the jockeys' title.

"The quality is going up all the time," said Littmoden. "Of course we're busy in summer, but this keeps us busy in the winter too, means we can keep the staff employed and the owners interested. A lot would rather have a horse they can race regularly through the winter with less risk of injury than jumping, and considerably better prizes."

For Quinn, a journeyman lightweight, the development of this branch of the sport has brought financial security. "I drive a three-series Mercedes," he said, "and there is no way I could afford that otherwise. I can now make a good living through the winter without having to go abroad."

Yesterday's feature, the seven-furlong showcase handicap, went, for the second year in succession, to Maidstone-based John Best, although the trainer, delayed en route from the airport after an Austrian skiing holiday, was not present to witness his charge Desert Spirit's short-head defeat of Satelcom. It was the biggest success yet for apprentice Richard Thomas, who did, however, earn a two-day ban for interference with a rival on his way to victory. "I only picked out the horse at auction because he looked so much like last year's winner Steely Dan," said Best.

There were firsts for Andrew Balding, who sent out his inaugural winner in his own name from Kingsclere when Easter Ogil, in the colours of his now-retired father, Ian, won the seven-furlong classified stakes, and for the popular stayer Double Trigger in his new guise as sire of Royal Trigger.

The stewards meted out a 40-day ban, a 12-day suspension and a £2,000 fine to Zagala, jockey Pat McCabe and trainer Sean Keightley after they judged the filly tenderly ridden in the opener.