ADAM Beschizza became the sixth apprentice in a row to win the £150,000 John Smith’s Cup at York Racecourse.
The 18-year-old followed Adam Kirby, Jamie Moriarty, Freddie Tylicki, Neil Brown and Martin Lane in scooping the one mile, two furlong heritage handicap – a race which has transformed the careers of some of his predecessors.
Green Destiny (6-1) did it in dominant fashion as well. Having been settled towards the back of the field early on, Beschizza unleashed him down the straight and got a huge response.
Third last turning home, when the field drifted towards the stands side, the four-year-old, trained by William Haggas, passed most of the field in the space of a furlong as Beschizza steered him through on the outside of the pack.
With well over a furlong still to travel, the race was in Green Destiny’s hands and he did not slow up in beating Modun by three-and-a-half lengths.
The win fulfilled a long-held ambition for Haggas, who is based in Newmarket but was brought up in Skipton.
The proud Yorkshireman said: “He picked up well and, if I may say so, he was very well ridden.
“Adam had given it a lot of thought beforehand and I didn’t need to give him any instructions. I have wanted to win this race ever since I have been training. I have had a few darts at it and been fabulously unsuccessful as well.”
Beschizza, winning his 16th race of the season, added: “Turning in I joined upsides John Gosden’s horse (Beachfire) and I thought they might run down the middle of the track and instead they all drifted to the stand side.
“He is in a class of his own. To pass nearly 20 horses in furlong means you are looking at a seriously nice horse.
“They once said they thought he was Group class. With the feel that he gave me, I’d say it was a possibility.”
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