'We’re growing the business' - jumps trainer Alastair Ralph enjoys first Flat winner

Jumps trainer Alastair Ralph enjoyed his first winner on the Flat when Pavlodar landed the 7f handicap.

The 13-race maiden was beaten a head over course and distance last month but made amends for that narrow defeat to go one better under Charlie Bishop.

Pavlodar was purchased for 40,000gns as a six-race maiden from Clive Cox and provided Ralph with a breakthrough Flat winner with his 39th runner in the discipline.

“We’re very pleased,” said Ralph. “He ran nicely round here last time and we thought he’d bang down the door, and he did.

“Jerry McGrath bought him out of Clive Cox’s at the sales for a syndicate and I’m pleased for them. They’ve got a few with us, which is even better.”

Ralph has saddled more runners on the Flat in 2023 than in any of his previous five seasons with a licence, and on the increased change in approach he added: “We’re growing the business and just being a bit more open really. It’s something we’ve opened our doors to now, having a few more on the Flat.” 

Pavlodar was pulled up by Ciaran Gethings on his second start over hurdles at Ludlow in May, but on the rest of his jump horses Ralph said: “There’s 58 in, so there’s a nice big string of jumpers for the winter. It’s getting bigger all the time, which is great.”

Brilliant Beckett

Ralph Beckett’s superb bank holiday weekend continued as Mexicali Rose got off the mark at the sixth attempt in the 7f fillies' novice.

The three-year-old daughter of Zoffany, who justified odds-on favouritism under Hector Crouch, is one of six winners Beckett has sent out from his last ten runners.

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