Apiarist pounces late to snatch Chelmsford spoils

Apiarist rewarded favourite-backers with a successful late charge in the bet365 Handicap at Chelmsford.

Just lightly-raced in terms of the all-weather, the Kevin Ryan-trained gelding is showing a liking for a synthetic surface.

Worth over £20,000 to the winner, the race panned out perfectly for Tom Eaves on the four-year-old, getting a lovely split on the inside rail from over a furlong out.

The 11-4 market leader made the best of the opportunity from there, having a neck to spare over Mr Baloo. Urban Sprawl stuck to his guns for third, having tried to make most.

Eaves told Racing TV: “He just wants to get on with things and Kevin said this morning hopefully this track will suit him a bit better, with a bit more pace to it.

“He’s a strong traveller through a race and he’s run some great races in defeat on the grass with some tough draws, lack of pace and stuff like that.

“It all worked out today and he’s talented when it goes his way.

“It’s one of those with a bit of a hold-up horse, it either happens or it doesn’t, but luckily it opened up nicely on the rail.

“Steve Ryan, a very good owner with the yard, he’s not been well this last week, so hopefully that makes him feel a bit better.”