Racing: Beckett breaks his bad run with 25-1 surprise

Ralph Beckett sprang a 25-1 surprise with his first winner of the season at Lingfield Park yesterday. Cantrip, a Celtic Swing filly, made all for her rider Fergal Lynch and in doing so overshadowed anything she had ever done before as she hung on well by a head from Banningham Blaze.

The winner is owned by the Jockey Club's deputy senior steward, David Oldrey, his brother Simon, and a former amateur rider George Hartigan.

Izzi Beckett, the trainer's wife, explained the filly's disappointing run at Windsor earlier in the month, when Cantrip finished ninth of 14, beaten 23 lengths. "The going was soft and she couldn't get into the race. We changed the tactics completely this time and it worked," she said.

Czarina Waltz led her rivals a merry dance at the end of the Dormansland Fillies' Handicap to justify 11-4 favouritism. She eventually scored by a length and a half, easing up, from Fast Foil. The mare's ultimate purpose is to become a broodmare for her owners, Acorn Racing.