Wonder Legend booked his ticket for the BetUK Marathon final with a commanding success in a 14-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton.
James Ferguson’s five-year-old was given a proactive ride by Hollie Doyle, with the duo taking up the running a mile from home before stretching away to score by almost three lengths.
Wonder Legend has now won two of his three starts during this season’s All-Weather Championships, with the handicapper allotting him a career-high mark of 100.
Ferguson said: “Wonder Legend has matured and really grown up of late. He is much more settled in his races and seems to be really enjoying it.
“The owner [K K Ho] has been very patient, which has allowed us the time to get him to his best, and I honestly don’t think I have had the horse in better form in his life.
“We thought he was a Stakes horse when we ran him in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot as a three-year-old – and now he is starting to realise that potential.
“It will be a tough ask in the Marathon off a mark of 100, but I think he is a big enough boy to be able to handle the weight, while the extra two furlongs should be a help to him.
“Beyond Finals Day, I think he is a horse to look forward to on the turf as well.”
We Never Stop advertised his claims for the BetUK Sprint final with a length victory over Rohaan in a class two event at Southwell. Kevin Ryan’s contender was successful at the course in November and has run well in defeat at Newcastle and Chelmsford this winter.
Penzance appears to be coming to the boil at the right time after notching his first win of the season in a 10-furlong handicap at Chelmsford. The five-year-old improved significantly on the all-weather last term for Mick Appleby, ending the campaign with a second in the BetUK Easter Classic.
There was a notable performance in Ireland at Dundalk as Arizona Blaze made an emphatic comeback for Adrian Murray in a six-furlong conditions race. Last season’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up could now step up in trip for a 2,000 Guineas trial on the turf.
Our Havana is the most significant handicap mover this week, with Richard Fahey’s runner going up 13lb to 96 for winning a seven-furlong handicap at Southwell by five and a half lengths.
Billy Loughnane has moved within one winner of Hector Crouch as the duo chase the all-weather champion jockey title. Crouch tops the standings with 61 successes, while Luke Morris is not out of it in third on 55.
