Racing: Fire burns fingers of Fame's supporters

Fame Again was a costly loser for favourite backers at Pontefract yesterday. The Lynda Ramsden-trained filly attracted on-course bets totalling more than pounds 24,000, but the odds-on shot failed by half a length to beat Watch the Fire, the 16-1 outsider of the five runners.

Watch the Fire was a welcome winner for the Newmarket trainer Jack Banks, whose team have been going through a quiet spell.

Judy Woodward, Banks' travelling head girl, said: "Our horses have just started to fire again now. We were more hopeful than confident today, but the soft ground came right for her."

Our Main Man sprang a 20-1 shock when winning at Southwell yesterday. The favourite, Goodwood Lass, an eight- length winner at Wolverhampton a fortnight ago, drifted badly in the market from 6-4 to 3-1 before finishing last of the nine runners in the hands of George Duffield, who later reported to the stewards that the filly resented the kick-back.

In the opening race, Duffield was beaten into second place on the odds- on favourite, Sir Mark Prescott's Rico Suave (8-11).