GEOFF HARKER was full of praise for young Brazilian jockey Silvestre de Sousa following his excellent ride aboard Gap Princess in Ripon’s feature contest, the Armstrong Memorial Handicap.

De Sousa has been in cracking form, with the six-year-old providing his 49th winner of the season and 13th in the last fortnight.

The consistent mare (8-1) followed up a couple of victories at Catterick earlier in the season by swooping late down the outside to catch long-time leader Sioux Rising and prevail by three-quarters of a length, much to the delight of trainer Harker.

“It was the owner who kept pushing for her to run as I thought we were maybe aiming a bit high with her, but things have dropped right and Silvestre has given her a cracking ride,” said Harker.

“She’s done it really well and while she won a couple early in the year, this was her biggest test and she’s come through it with flying colours.”

“She’s a really tough filly and it was a good race with a nice bit of prize-money.

“Silvestre is riding unbelievably well at the moment and I just hope he stays up here and doesn’t go down south.”

De Sousa threw everything at City Of The Kings (11-1) to take the Destination Harrogate Handicap.

Outpaced on the turn for home, he rousted his mount along and Harker’s five-yearold responded to record victory by a length and a quarter from Veiled Applause.

Problematic to train, Harker took particular delight in seeing the five-year-old score.

“He’s had a lot of trouble with splints earlier in the season,”

said Harker.

“He came in really fresh and well and we thought we were going to have a really good year, but he’s just had a few niggly problems.

“He never had anything so wrong with him that he could not run. He just kept coming right and then you would run him and it would flare up again. They seem to have settled down now though, so hopefully it will be onwards and upwards from here.”

Not to be outdone, Tom Tate and Michael Fenton also enjoyed a double at the North Yorkshire track.

My Single Malt (10-1) kicked things off in the opening EBF Children’s Day Maiden Stakes.

Tucked in off a good pace, Fenton unleashed him with two-furlongs remaining to score by three-quarters of a length.

Walvis Bay provided the double in the At The Races Sky 415 Handicap.

Similar tactics prevailed as Fenton cruised just off the pace before stretching out with two furlongs remaining.

The well-backed 15-8 favourite stayed on well, eventually scoring by two lengths to Secret Millionaire.

Drumpellier (12-1) landed the Michael Moorhead Memorial Selling Handicap in a cracking climax over five furlongs.

Paul Midgley’s filly was prominent throughout and stuck her neck out where it mattered from the fast-finishing Gower Sophia to record a nose victory under talented apprentice Paul Pickard.

Chelsea Morning landed the spoils in the Toteexacta Maiden Stakes for Barry Hills.

George Adamson (5-2 favourite) left punters smiling by taking the concluding SIS Live Handicap.