Two Tempting refuses to be denied at Epsom

Two Tempting was all guts in prevailing in the Trustatrader Handicap at Epsom for David Egan and Jonathan Portman.

The five-year-old was prominent early on when sticking to the inside rail, gaining momentum as the race progressed.

Sent off at 12-1, he looked to be powering home when the Hamad Al-Jehani-trained Beshtani gave chase under James Doyle, but after trading blows in the final strides it was Two Tempting who stuck his neck out to win by the narrowest of margins on the line.

Portman said: “I didn’t think he’d won, I was pretty sure we’d been chinned, but then I would have been delighted with second as I thought he’d run a blinder.

“Although this was the plan as he’d run well in this last year, expectations were less. But the jockey had him in the right place at the right time and it worked.

“I never put him in the Hunt Cup. I rang the owner up when the Hunt Cup was closing and asked him what he thought, but then I thought I wish I’d never rung him, what was I thinking! Maybe I should have put him in.

“There might be something at Goodwood.”

Bolster then gave Karl Burke a double on the day in the Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap, adding that prize to the Woodcote title won earlier by Teej A.

Pierre-Louis Jamin took the ride this time, steering the 5-1 shot to a three-quarter-length victory for owner Sheikh Obaid as stablemate and 9-2 favourite Liberty Lane finished seventh.

“I’m delighted for Pierre, he’s given that a real good ride,” said Burke.

“I would say he’s a bit better than a handicapper. This was the plan, but he’s obviously a very good horse. He had an injury with Simon and Ed Crisford last year and came to us having had two operations on his front joints, but we’ve managed to get him back nicely.

“I would say we will have to look at Group races now, I think the handicapper will make us.”

Having been touched off on Beshtani and also on Native American in the Surrey Stakes, Doyle eventually secured a success in the closing Molson Coors Handicap on his old favourite Rhoscolyn (9-1).

David O’Meara’s six-year-old had won the race back in 2021 and proved he is still a force to be reckoned with, winning off top-weight.

“It’s been a hit and miss day, but that’s the way it goes, that’s racing,” said Doyle.

“He obviously won this a few years ago for me when it was a bit wetter, but he was good today because we didn’t get much luck in running so I just had to be patient.

“He’s a smart horse, this is his bag, seven furlongs and a good draw coming off a good pace.”