Boy gets hefty hike from handicapper following Beverley success

Barbury Boy made an enouraging return to action at Beverley on Thursday when opening his account at the fourth time of asking, however it was a victory that caught the eye of the handicapper.

Having shown glimpses of promise in three starts at two the son of Oasis Dream took a step forward on his seasonal comeback on his first start since being gelded when upped to a mile and a quarter in the Racing Again On Bank Holiday Monday Handicap.

Although taking time to warm to the task, Barbury Boy, who was sent off the 11-10 favourite, found more than enough at the buisness end of the race under Rossa Ryan to defeat Alice De Clare by a neck.

However, while Alan was delighted to see Barbury Boy get off the mark it was a victory that saw the handicapper raise him nine pounds from his opening mark of 60 up to 69.

Alan said: “It was a pleasing start for Barbury Boy and we always thought that stepping him up in trip was going to suit him when we sent him handicapping.

“I was expecting him to get put up six pounds, but he has been put up nine and the runner-up has gone up seven pounds so the handicapper has taken no chances.

“The third placed horse was six lengths adrift and that is where the rating has come from. I was expecting him to get a bit, but that was more than I thought.”

While Barbury Boy will race off a new mark when next sighted the handicapper has left Insanity on a mark of 99 following his comeback second at Pontefract on Tuesday.

Alan added: “They have left Insanity on his mark of ninety nine. I was very happy with his run at Pontefract as the mile and a quarter around there would have been sharp enough for him, but I was just pleased to get him out and started.

“We will step him back up to a mile and a half next and we could look at the Jorvik Handicap at York as he has run well around there before.”

Another member of the Barbury Castle Stables team that received a rise in the weights was Edwardstone, who has been hiked up eight pounds to a mark of 158 following his veictory in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday.

As a result of the win it saw Edwardstone become the eighth 12 year-old to secure a Grade One win in Britain along with pushing his career earmings pass the £800,000 mark.

And it was also a victory that handed Alan his 35th National Hunt Grade One winner, meaning he has now secured more than 200 victories across black type races on the flat and over jumps.