Aisling Oscar makes history with eighth successive handicap win

Aisling Oscar created a little slice of racing history at Southwell when winning his eighth successive handicap.

While his previous seven wins had all come at Newcastle, Trainer Adrian Keatley had to look at Southwell for his record equalling success in the Win £250,000 With BetMGM’s Golden Goals Handicap.

Bought from Ireland for just 3,200 guineas, the five-year-old has risen from a mark of just 46 to 71 during his prolific spell.

Ridden by Oisin McSweeney, who had been on board for two of his wins, he came home the 3-1 favourite with his nearest rival, Studious, three quarters of a length behind him.

The last horse to win eight handicaps in a row was the Reg Akehurst-trained Ballynakelly between 1995 and 1996.

“It’s unbelievable, he’s a credit to Adrian, his team at home and to Dan (Astbury) who bought him,” McSweeney told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s fantastic and it doesn’t happen every day of the week. It’s just great to be a part of it.

“It probably didn’t go as straightforward as we thought, I didn’t really want to come all the way across but I had enough horse underneath me to get us all the way to the line.

“He loves it and he just seems to be thriving.

“That’s his eighth win on the bounce and he’s fairly versatile, everything doesn’t always have to go his way.

“He’s won from being dropped out, he’s been on the pace. All credit to the horse, really.”