'He just exceeds expectations' - 1,000gns purchase racks up fourth win in 2025 since joining Gay Kelleway

Bargain buy Manton Road recorded his fourth win since joining Gay Kelleway in November when justifying 3-1 favouritism in the 7f handicap.

The three-year-old defied a 6lb penalty to follow up last Wednesday’s success at Kempton to take his prize-money earnings to just shy of £19,000 since being purchased for 1,000gns from Jack Jones in an online sale.

“Thanks to my brother who told me to buy him,” Kelleway told Sky Sports Racing. “He just exceeds expectations." 

Manton Road has finished out of the frame only once in nine starts for Kelleway, who was full of praise for winning rider Luke Morris.

“Luke gave up all his rides at Southwell to come here to ride the one,” she said. “It says a lot for Luke and his expertise and experience.”

The collapse of a proposed joint venture with Ann Duffield in North Yorkshire has not impacted on a blistering start to the year on the track for Kelleway, who added: “That’s our 16th runner and our sixth win.”

Return visit on the cards

Market House is likely to return to the track on Friday for an attempt to follow up his victory in the 1m4½f handicap.

On his second start since joining James Owen from Barry Connell, the five-year-old beat the Billy Loughnane-ridden 2-1 favourite Media Mogul by a head under Sean Dylan Bowen.

Loughnane gained compensation when winning the 7f handicap on the Michael Herrington-trained Nikovo before Buzz Box backed up his January course-and-distance success off a 6lb higher mark under the same rider in the 5f handicap.

Brilliant Berkshire

Berkshire Whisper makes it two wins from three startsCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The 6f novice was won by subsequent Group 1 Royal Ascot and July Cup runner-up Dragon Symbol in 2021 and Berkshire Whisper could be one to keep an eye on after giving weight and a beating to his three rivals in the same race for Andrew Balding and Jason Watson.

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