THERE are diverse routes to get into racing but Olivia Tubb's must be unique - learning on a wooden horse her father constructed at their Chandlers Ford home!

Her parents could not afford to buy a pony and faced with a four hour trek to the nearest training yard, he put the contraption together using beams and nails from a local DIY business so she could enhance her skills in her bedroom.

And how it has paid off. 

Yesterday (Wed) she enjoyed her seventh winner of her burgeoning career when Twilight Dancer romped home in the one mile apprentice handicap.

Olivia, 20, embarked on proper horse riding while studying for her A levels before joining Jonathon Portman at his Upper Lambourn yard and gaining her full licence a year ago. 

"Things are going really well," she confirmed after Twilight Dancer had virtually led from nearly flag fall. "The plan had been to keep her handy. Another horse took the lead but then dropped away and that was not taking me into the race as I wanted. I then took the lead and she galloped all the way to the line."

The course's major fillies race of the season, the Upavon Stakes, was emphatically won by State Occasion who finally got the fast ground she craves. The three-year-old took a couple of valuable handicaps last season but had been restricted to one outing in May because of illness and the relentless rain. "First she was off colour and then it rained and rained," said trainer Ralph Beckett. "There have been no other issues."

In the hope of an Indian summer, there are several races he might target, including the Prix De L'Opera on Arc Day at Longchamp and a trip to the Breeders Cup may also come under consideration.  

The six furlong juvenile affair was not such a race as a procession. The further they went, the further Mister Sketch drew away to record a near ten length success which might persuade trainer Eve Johnson Houghton to take up an entry in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury next month.

"I will see how he comes out of the race but he will tell me," she said, somewhat surprised not only by the ease of the win but also that he has seen a racecourse this season. "You can see he's one shell of a horse. I never thought he would run as a two-year-old but then he suddenly put his head over the parapet and said I am ready to run!"

The classy Arabian Crown was not hard pressed to land what appeared on paper to be a highly competitive one mile listed race. In reality, he and the pace making Son were the only two runners who were seriously involved and once William Buick brought Arabian Crown alongside, the result was inevitable, scoring by three and a three quarter lengths from the running on Arabic Legend.
"A lovely performance," said Buick. "It was a nice even gallop which suited him in what was a fairly run race. He has gone from strength to strength, broke well and was progressing all the way to the line. Next year, I'm sure he will get even further."