'She’s just kept improving' - super Stainsby Girl seals back-to-back course wins

Stainsby Girl followed up last month’s course-and-distance success to take the 2m1f handicap hurdle under a confident front-running ride by Kit Alexander.

Stainsby Girl was bought by the winning rider’s father Nick for £22,000 in May after scoring on her previous two starts for Donald Whillans and made an instant impact for new connections when seeing off subsequent Morebattle Hurdle hero Benson at Haydock in November.

“I’m thrilled with her,” said Nick Alexander after the nine-year-old recorded her third win for the trainer. “She was on an upward curve when we bought her, we were just very lucky to be able to buy her really. She had a couple of runs over Christmas where she can’t have been herself when she got quite well beaten.

“She’s just a little mare and has done it with topweight on heavy ground off a career-high mark. It’s fantastic. She’s just kept improving which is brilliant.”

Alexander was also on the board with 10-1 shot Atlantic Dancer at Uttoxeter and added: “It’s been an excellent day and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Off the mark

Stainsby’s Girl’s former trainer Whillans also had a win on the card when Maid Of Houxty got off the mark at the 11th attempt under Henry Brooke in the 2m7½f handicap chase.

Whillans and Brooke were denied a quick-fire double as Enemy At The Gate was just foiled by the Conor O'Farrell-ridden Fabuleux Du Clos, who made a successful handicap debut for Simon West to provide the trainer with his first winner of the season.

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