Greystoke gains a well-deserved success at Chester

May 13

Alan’s horses remain in good form, and few horses deserved to get their head in front more than Greystoke, who won the apprentice handicap at Chester on Friday.

It was significant that the talented Benoit de la Sayette was booked for Greystoke, who shook off a frustrating bout of second-itis from the all-weather when powering clear up the short Roodee straight.

Many congratulations to owners, Robert and Lucy Dickinson, and Alan, who also captured this race 12 months ago with Haseefah, said:”Greystoke has won over hurdles and we were planning to go back to that sphere, but I could not find the right race so we came here instead. The rain was the worry and I would have been more confident on good ground, but I needn’t have worried.”

Alan was hoping for another celebration with Westerton in the mile and a quarter handicap at Ascot on Saturday, but the 6-4 favourite just failed to reel in the enterprisingly-ridden Maasai Mara in what was a slow-run race. Things might have turned out differently had they gone a decent gallop.