McMahon hits the jackpot as Meads lands Newbury feature

Staffordshire-based Ed McMahon enjoyed one of his highest profile ever successes as his unbeaten colt Temple Meads romped to victory at Newbury on Saturday in the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint, writes Elliot Slater.

Sent off 5/1 second favourite with Horse racing betting in a field of 24 juveniles, the Avonbridge colt, winner of his only previous outing in a Newmarket maiden at the Guineas fixture in May, tracked the front running Bold Bidder before coming with a well timed effort under Richard Mullen to win a shade cosily by a length, with Bryan Smart's Move In Time keeping on well to take third.

The race has been something of a bonanza over the years for Richard Hannon who saddled six runners including 7/2 betting online favourite Reckless Reward, who eventually came home the best placed of the East Everleigh handler's sextet in a disappointing 10th position.

Temple Meads is owned by John Fretwell who has enjoyed considerable success over the years in the juvenile sphere, but who was absolutely certain following the £98,000 victory on Saturday that his latest classy youngster is the best he has ever owned. Temple Meads had originally been targeted at the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, but a throat infection meant he missed the big June meeting and he came to Newbury as a relatively fresh horse.

Expected to comfortably cope with a step up to six furlongs, McMahon's colt is confidently expected to give a good account of himself in the future in Group company and could well be the horse to put McMahon back on the map.  After making a good start when taking over the training licence from his father Brian in 2005 McMahon's has struggled to make an impact in the manner his father enjoyed when tastingd considerable success in the 1980's and '90's, especially with horses in the sprint division