'I didn't have huge expectations' - Personal Best leads home 569-1 forecast for Jonathan Portman

Jonathan Portman enjoyed Listed success with Rumster at Ascot on Saturday and the trainer was on a high again after saddling a one-two with newcomers in the mile fillies’ maiden.

The Rob Hornby-ridden Personal Best got the better of 28-1 shot Wondrous Light and Trevor Whelan, with the stablemates finishing clear of the 7-2 favourite Rosso Levanto and other more experienced rivals.

A £1 stake on the Tote Exacta would have paid out £446.40, but the forecast paid £569.68. The 25-1 winner, out of Portman’s 2019 Lingfield handicap winner Spring Run, may not have lined up for her debut had it not been for the Lambourn trainer’s persistence.

“We had to talk the co-owner into running Personal Best,” Portman told Racing TV. “Dear Rosa Pease, she’s been with me for 26 years and she’s the breeder of Personal Best. She probably told me about six times not to run.

“Thank God the filly has done her well. I just thought they’d need the run today. On this [heavy] ground, you don’t know quite what’s going to happen.

“They’ve not had anything too demanding asked of them at home so I didn’t have huge expectations.”

Excellent Edmunds

Lewis Edmunds helped a couple of  juveniles trained in Newmarket make successful handicap debuts when landing the 6f and 7f nurseries on Nebrook Dream and Unforgetable Belle for Amy Murphy and Alice Haynes respectively.

Unforgetable Belle was the first leg of a double for owners Middleham Park Racing, whose Sergeant Pep bounced back from finishing last of 22 in Ayr’s Silver Cup last time to take the 5f handicap under Richard Kingscote.

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