Lc Tiffen secured a shock 80-1 victory in the Betway Leigh Handicap as Saturday racing returned to Haydock Park.
First career win
Ridden by Molly Gunn, the three-year-old daughter of Mrs Tiffen, trained in Tarporley, Cheshire by Lisa Williamson, stunned better-fancied rivals, including 2-5 favourite Brighton View, to claim her first career success on her seventh start.
The win was a 24th career success for apprentice jockey Gunn, who said: "It was a lovely surprise, I was told to drop her out and let her take her time and find her feet. Lisa (Williamson) said she ran really well last time and this track suited her down to the ground. Clearly a light weight was what she needed. A big galloping fair track and she was good today."
Race details
Lc Tiffen was at the rear for much of the early running of the 1m2½f contest as Mandarin Spirit made the running from Relentless Hero and the William Knight-trained favourite Brighton View, under championship-chasing jockey Oisin Murphy. As Brighton View moved through to lead, Lc Tiffen came on his outside and quickly went past that rival inside the final furlong.
Gunn and her partner held off the fast-finishing Saxophonist (4-1) to score by a neck, with Brighton View a further length-and-a-quarter back in third.
Return to Haydock
It was the first Saturday meeting of the summer at Haydock since Temple Stakes Day in May. The enforced hiatus was due to the hole which appeared on that May day, leading to the Merseyside track having to abandon eight fixtures in total through one of the busiest times of the year. After remedial work and being given the go-ahead by the British Horseracing Authority, racing returned to Haydock.
Gunn added: "On her it took a minute (to get going). Then she picked up and we were really travelling. It probably suited her nicely. We got into the race gently and built momentum the whole way."
"It is lovely to past them (top jockeys Oisin Murphy and Danny Tudhope). Going past them and still travelling well. She hit the front and carried on. She knew where the stable yard was coming in. She tugged in right and you don't mind if they do that if you've won. It's a great start to the day."
