Roof is on top

To The Roof left the professionals scratching their heads as he stormed to victory in the pounds 20,000 Dibb Lupton Broomhead Cup Handicap at Thirsk yesterday.

Most experts reckon it is extremely difficult to win racing on the far side in sprint races on this track, but To The Roof kicked the theory into touch as he made most on that side of the course and ran on strongly to hold off Benzoe with Selhurstpark Flyer hird.

The winning trainer, Peter Harris, had hatched a plan with the jockey Gary Hind for how to combat the number four draw. "The boss had a word this morning with Gary. Everyone thought that it was a bad draw but they thought that the best place to try to win was on the far side,"said the head lad Alan Blower.

To The Roof has never stopped improving since having a wind operation in the winter and this was his sixth race of the year.