Mills set to clean up

13 April 2012

Mitcham is not a million miles away from Camberwell where trainer Terry Mills was born.

The archetypal Londoner, who loves nothing more than tucking into a bowl of pie, eels, mash and green sauce, has a four-legged link with the suburb.

In fact, it was Mitcham the horse which gave him his greatest triumph as a handler in 1999 when the good-looking sprinter landed the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, at tomorrow's televised Windsor meeting the five-year-old is on a recovery mission after going under by a head at Haydock last weekend.

The money was certainly down when Mitcham turned out at the northern track. Sent off at 7-2 favourite he had the misfortune to come across a 33-1 outsider, Coastal Bluff, who had not read the script.

Coastal Bluff led over a furlong from home, and despite running on well in the closing stages, Mitcham and John Reid could not quite get to the grey before the post came.

Chelsea supporter Mills is a waste disposal and demolition tycoon, to whom two of the most beautiful sights in the world are a big hole in the landscape ready to be filled with rubbish and a horse that can gallop somewhat faster than a JCB chugs.

He has transformed his Loretta Lodge stables at Epsom, which now has nearly every equine aid known to man, and Mitcham is just one of the inmates showing the benefit.

Always a horse to catch the eye, the son of Hamas, is expected to make amends for the narrow Haydock defeat by landing the £50,000 Royal Windsor Festival Handicap over five furlongs.

Handicappers are not exactly popular with Mills, who said: "I don't like the way handicapping is done. It needs to be more professional than just one guy looking at a race and weighing it up."

But looking at Mitcham's handicap mark this time, he does not appear to have much cause for complaint, as his charge appears well treated. Mitcham may have most to fear from Damalis, who hails from another in-form yard, that of Eric Alston.

On a day when sprinters are in the spotlight, another big dash takes place at Newmarket, where the pick of the runners in the £50,000 Coral Eurobet Sprint Handicap, appears to be Blakeshall Boy, trained by ex-footballer Mick Channon. Channon, who saddled Hunting Lion to win last year's corrresponding race at odds of 50-1, is also represented in tomorrow's event by Nasmatt, the mount of Craig Williams.

Nasmatt, showed some useful form last year, including a fourth to Lilium in a Listed race at Newmarket, but lack of a recent run makes her stable companion Blakeshall Boy a safer proposition.

Blakeshall Boy, who will be ridden by under-rated lightweight Matthew Henry, has taken time to regain his winning form this season but was most impressive when beating Bali Royal over the minimum trip at Windsor last time out.

Selections for the big sprints - Newmarket: 4.10, Blakeshall Boy; Windsor: 4.25, Mitcham.

Kieren Fallon is expected to decide today whether or not to appeal against the three-day ban imposed by the Ayr stewards which could rule him out of next week's Vodafone Derby.

Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: "Kieren Fallon has until Monday to appeal, though it would seem to be in everyone's interests to establish his availability as soon as possible.

"Consequently if an appeal is lodged we will seek to hold it on the first possible date."

The three-time champion was riding Alan Bailey's Distinctive Dream and the stewards found that his mount had interfered with Tancred Times. The officials also concluded that the interference was a result of irresponsible riding of a minor nature and gave Fallon the minimum of three days for that type of offence.

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Mills set to clean up

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