"Team East Dominates Second Night of Racing League with Five Wins, Including Sir Michael Stoute's First; Star Runner Reaching High Shines Bright for the King and Queen"
Sir Michael Stoute celebrated his first Racing League victory with the royally-bred Reaching High, who was part of an outstanding five-timer for Team East on the second night of the event.
The three-year-old, sired by Sea The Stars and out of Gold Cup winner Estimate, is owned by the King and Queen. Under the guidance of Luke Morris, Reaching High made a decisive move and sprinted clear to win by seven-and-a-half lengths, achieving his first victory on his seventh attempt and enjoying the longer distance.
Morris commented, "He's a gorgeous, big, scopey horse, and I feel awful winning so far on him, but it was a very messy race. I think he'll make a really nice stayer in the future."
He added, "It's great to see such top connections supporting the Racing League."
After securing three wins at Yarmouth on the opening night, the team managed by Chris Hughes and supported by trainer Charlie Fellowes extended their lead at the top of the table with style.
Morris kicked off the night with a win on Terry Kent's Habooba (9-1). Other victories included Neil Callan riding Fellowes' Glam Squad (9-1) and two wins for Danny Muscutt on Kevin Philippart De Foy's Bint Al Daar (10-1) and James Fanshawe's Willem Twee (7-2 favorite).
Hughes told ITV 4, "We seem to be winning every other race at the moment!"
He continued, "It's great because we have great sets of owners, and for Kevin to get a winner on his birthday is fantastic. Hopefully, we keep charging ahead.
"The beauty of the Racing League lies in its good prize money, which attracts quality horses and, in turn, large crowds. I've met numerous racing enthusiasts here.
"Hopefully, people continue to support it. We've gotten loads of support, making it an easy game when you're winning."
Meanwhile, Yorkshire opened their account for the new season fittingly on Yorkshire Day, August 1st, as Longlai (9-1) won for Michael Wigham and David Allan. Thunder Blue (13-2) achieved a one-two for Wales & The West, securing a victory for Jamie and Saffie Osborne.
