A flurry of Stakes winners!

01 September 2019

THE late summer has been good to trainer David Simcock’s team with a series of high-profile winners.Stable star Desert Encounter made it two Group victories on the bounce with a battling success in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.

He proved his versatility, dropping back to 10 furlongs from a mile and a half, in securing victory by half a length under jockey Jamie Spencer.

The win was all the more credible given that he was carrying 3lb more than three of his rivals and a full 13lb more than the sole three-year-old in the race.

On the same card as the Windsor Group 3, another Simcock-trained horse triumphed in the Listed August Stakes.

Raakib Alhawa, also ridden by Spencer, gave a taking display in winning by a length and a quarter on his first try at a mile and a half, having previously been campaigned over a mile this season.

The son of Kingman shaped like a progressive staying prospect and was given an expert ride by Spencer, who delivered him with a well-timed run through the closing quarter of a mile.

The previous evening Spencer had been to the fore on a Simcock two-year-old in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury.

Mohican Heights, having his first start for Trillium Place and only his second career outing, maintained his 100 per cent record when extending through the closing stages of the mile contest to win by two lengths.

In what was a really fruitful Bank Holiday weekend for David and the team, there was also a satisfying Sunday double.

Alemagna got her head in front in a mile and a half fillies’ handicap at Goodwood, while Bless Him returned to winning ways with a comfortable success in a mile handicap at Yarmouth.