Meehan’s ace bounces back with style
Brian Meehan's five-year-old had not been the same since taking a crashing fall in the Hunt Cup last year but connections were finally rewarded for their patience as he put in a superb performance at Newmarket
SPARK Plug charged up the near side rail to give jockey Jimmy Fortune his second win in the Betfred Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
Fortune, successful on Pipedreamer in 2007, made the most of his draw on the stands side to grab the rail where it mattered.
The field split into two groups with Ode To Evening and Ginger Jack leading those on the far side and Bravo Zolo and First Sitting among those prominent on the near side.
Hitting the front in the final furlong, the Brian Meehan-trained Spark Plug (12-1) powered away from his 30 rivals to strike by two and a quarter lengths from the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Carry On Deryck.
Very Talented, also from the Bin Suroor stable, was a length and a half away in third. Last year's winner Third Time Lucky stayed on well for fourth with Zhui Feng fifth.
Fortune said: "I had to take a pull two out, it stopped him getting there too soon. He's always been a bit of a worrier and Brian has done a wonderful job to get him back after his fall at Ascot.
"I've known Brian for the last 25 years, we've been great friends and long may it continue."
Meehan said: "Jimmy rides most of the horses for us and has done for years.
"This horse fell in the Hunt Cup last season and Jimmy was out for a long time because of it.
"He's always looked like a Cambridgeshire horse. He ran very well in the Hunt Cup this year and has always looked like a horse for a race like this."
Bin Suroor said of the second and third: "They both ran good. Carry On Deryck went to Dubai this year. We've looked after him and thought he might be a horse for the Cambridgeshire.
"He is improving and now we will either find another race for him or take him back to Dubai. We will have to discuss that.
"We'll have to see this week whether we will run either of them here again this year."
