By Peter Moore at Lingfield Park Friday 5th April 2024
Two rides, two wins, turned out to be another profitable day for former champion Oisin Murphy at Lingfield on Friday afternoon.
The Irishman rode Louisiana Bay to victory in the opener before completing his double when Purefoy got home in the third race of the afternoon.
Murphy, who had already ridden Louisiana Bay to victory at Southwell last month got the five-year-old first past the post to win comfortably by five lengths from Velvet Vulcan.
The impressive Purefoy put on an inspiring performance to win the seven furlong handicap for Andrew Balding by two and a quarter lengths with Twirler in second place.
David Probert continued his purple patch in April by bringing up his sixth winner in the first five days of the month when Diamon Dreamer won the six furlongs handicap for Basingstoke trainer Patrick Chamings.
Probert, has already got 30 wins this year and could well be heading towards a century of winners for the sixth time in his career.
Film royalty Dame Judy Dench was a welcome guest at Lingfield today. The 89-year-old was on hand to present the prize for the 6f handicap to the Chelsea Banhan trained Unavailable.
Dench is patron to the race’s charity sponsor East Park Riding For The Disabled group. The Joey Haynes-ridden Unavailable made all and won comfortably, breaking his maiden at the 11th attempt.
Newmarket trainer Dylan Cunha is on red hot form at the moment and saddled his third winner in the past fortnight when Gogo Yubari won the finale on the card with Rhys Cluterbuck on board
Cunha, now has an impressive 25% strike rate in the last 14 days and is certainly a trainer that people should be looking out for.
Cluterbuck, is gradually becoming a young rider to watch and has also had three winners in the last 14 days, all trained by the South African who looks to have made a shrewd move to make the 23-year-old his stable jockey.