THE Newmarket Saturday card, sponsored by Grand National backers Randox Health, produced several tight finishes.

In the six-furlong handicap confined to grey horses, the camera showed that Michael Appleby’s Case Key, 8/1, and Ben Curtis had inched out Richard Hannon’s 25/1 outsider Zebulon by a nose in a blanket finish. The winner had finished third last year and obliged off a mark 3lb lower.

Adam Kirby had the better of two desperate tussles as Brian Meehan’s 9/2 chance Bacchus short-headed Dakota Gold in the Randox Health Handicap and received the call from Godolphin for 5/2 favourite Dathanna, who beat Amourice on the nod in the fillies’ nursery.

Newbury double for Shanahan

PAT Shanahan continues to place horses with great skill and completed a 59/1 double at Newbury last Friday.

Both Set In Stone, 9/1, who accounted for Cricklewood Green in the Christopher Smith Handicap over a mile, and 5/1 shot Fivehuddredmiles, just too good for Daily Trader in the closing apprentices’ handicap, were ridden by Rowan Scott, who has found this a very successful arrangement after plenty of hard work for limited reward on the northern circuit.

Also, both were appearing at a Grade 1 track after becoming Hamilton regulars; indeed, Fivehundredmiles looked quite well named, even if Glasgow is not quite that far from Berkshire.

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Something from Nothing

JOHN McConnell claimed All For Nothing out of Kevin Prendergast’s stable following a narrow victory at Ballinrobe and was rewarded as the 16/1 chance landed the amateur riders’ handicap at Nottingham, also last Friday.

All For Nothing was well handled by Mr Jordan Williams, who brought him through to beat Sellingallthetime quite comfortably.

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Fahey victory

RICHARD Fahey may have missed out with Growl but is never down for very long. At Pontefract last Sunday, his tough and talented filly Queen Kindly, making all for Tom Eaves, just lasted home in the Listed Highland Farm Flying Fillies’ Stakes, resisiting Eartha Kitt by a head.

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The Boy did well for Elliott

APART from Manchester United at a hapless Swansea, the certainty of the weekend was probably Gordon Elliott’s 4/7 shot Knockmaole Boy in the opening novices’ hurdle at Perth on Saturday.

Knockmaole Boy hacked up by 13 lengths for Richard Johnson and has now won four of his last five, punctuated only by a defeat on the level at Galway.