THERE were fireworks on and off the track at Ascot on Saturday, as Wye Valley Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams saw Martator take his fourth win in a row.
Victory was followed by an early Bonfire Night display, with the King's Caple-based trainer later posting: "Good of Ascot Racecourse to let off a few fireworks after Martator wins the £100,000 Byrne Group Premier Chase."
The 6-1 shot under jockey Charlie Deutsch picked up where he left off last spring by sprinting clear after the final fence.
The seven-year-old secured a hat-trick of wins at Newbury, Ascot and Sandown last season, and continued to impress by beating Issar D’Airy by 1 3/4L in the 10-runner two-mile-one-furlong Handicap Chase.
It was double delight for Deutsch, whose fiancee – stable work-rider and groom Meg Jones – is eight months pregnant and rode the horse several times last week.
Williams told Sky Sports Racing after Martator's win: "That was amazing. He's one of the few I'm happy to run on drier ground. He's quite a small horse, light on his feet, and he ran on similar ground here back in the spring and obviously enjoyed it. This is a step up again for him and he’s won.
“He’s an extraordinary horse, because whenever I walk out into the field in front of my house, if there’s 20-odd horses in there, I can guarantee the first one that comes out of the pack to come and say good morning is Martator.
“He’s really inquisitive and I think probably that’s why the cheekpieces helped him a little bit, because it gives him less opportunity to be inquisitive.
“Turning for home it looked like he had a chance but then he met the second-last on a bad stride before staying on well.
"Meg rode Martator three times this week. He's quite keen at home and Meg rides him better than any of the jockeys."
And a delighted Meg added: "I want to keep working but it gets harder by the day, I've not got long to go and will be watching from the other side of the fence."