Racing: Bravo Maestro earns applause from punters

Bravo Maestro, well beaten at 50-1 on his racecourse debut last month, landed a gamble with a runaway win at Lingfield yesterday. Punters steamed in to David Arbuthnot's two-year-old ahead of the Scots Group Of Companies Maiden Stakes, forcing his price from 25-1 down to 8-1, and they never had an anxious moment.

Simon Whitworth tracked the leaders until the home turn, where he settled the contest in a matter of strides, eventually scoring by an eased-down six lengths from Star Of Light.

Notable bets placed on Bravo Maestro included £2,500 to £100 each-way, and £2,500 to £100 win.

Arbuthnot was predictably delighted as he disclosed the regard in which he holds the son of Stravinsky, whom he said had disappointed him when finishing only 13th of 16 in a maiden at Newbury six weeks ago.

"In fairness we've always had to work on our all-weather in Lambourn and he had never been on grass probably even once before he went to Newbury," the trainer said. "I've always thought an awful lot of him and I thought he'd run a big race. I sent him down here to do a solo spin on Monday and he went very well."