Fox Grant's speed machine blows the others away

Iona Lad and William Fox Grant add the Silver Spur to a recent Cotswold Scurry success

- LUCY ELDER

Bicester with Whaddon Chase Silver Spur, Warks

WILLIAM FOX GRANT'S faith in his "quirky" retrained racehorse Iona Lad was rewarded as his dream of Silver Spur glory finally came true.

"It was like being in a Jaguar - every time I put my foot down, he went quicker," said William, who also won the prize for first veteran. "I nicknamed him McLaren when I bought him, but I didn't think he'd be good enough. I was going to sell him at the start of the season, but he's going nowhere now!" The nine-year-old is by St Leger winner Scorpion,

whose other progeny include the mercurial talent Might Bite. Iona Lad didn't trouble the judge on his six starts under Rules his best finish was second, but his record that day notes he was "never any threat" to the winner.

He has found his strengths in his second career. William and his team have persevered, with a combination of increased fitness work for both horse and jockey and positive riding being the driving force behind their victory here.

"At the far end of the course, where we turned to come back, I quickened and that's where I won it," said William. "He's very quick across the ground and I don't think the others could catch him.

"Three from home, I looked to my left and I could see Roddy Stanning coming on Lostintranslation and I thought, 'He's going to get me.' "I pinged the second-last, put the accelerator down, and he just blew them away." The wet spring made for holding ground on this beautifully presented course, built by Ant McKenzie MFH, Jaisn Kruger, Marcus ThorpeCodman and Richard Beecroft.