Hats off to the jackpot winner - twice over!

Somnus, who picked up just over £143,000 when winning the St Leger Yearling Stakes - the richest juvenile event in Europe - at Doncaster last month, clinched another huge payday for his owners at Redcar last Saturday.

The Tim Easterby-trained two-year-old, home-bred by Lady Caroline Legard of Scampston Hall, near Norton, bagged a first prize of £97,585 when winning the Betabet Two-Year-Old Trophy - in a photo-finish.

It was nail-biting stuff. Somnus, racing close to the far rail, had to dig deep from more than two furlongs out under jockey Ted Durcan as challenges came thick and fast in the centre of the course. But he gamely prevailed by a head from Tout Seul, with Monsieur Bond, the 100-30 favourite, filling third spot in the 18-runner field.

Lady Legard, who had been increasingly concerned that the ground would be too firm for her star juvenile, was overjoyed at seeing him win his fourth race from five starts this season, and his second major prize.

"I just feel so lucky to have such a good horse, and such a tough one," she said.

Lady Legard bred Somnus, a son of Pivotal, from her mare Midnight's Reward. "Unfortunately, she died last year, so he is the last one out of her," she said. "But we do have his half-sister Pasithea."

Having been sent to Doncaster Sales as a yearling and reached only 13,500 guineas before being bought back, Somnus has proved a remarkable success story. Lady Legard now shares ownership of him with Roger Sidebottom, who missed Saturday's triumph because he was on holiday, and Sir Tatton Sykes of the Sledmere Stud.

Easterby was understandably delighted that Somnus managed to clinch another big-money prize. "He showed what a good horse he is, because he won in spite of not enjoying the fast ground," said the Great Habton trainer, who revealed: "My father must have fancied him, because he came and walked the course earlier in the week, something I don't remember him doing since the days of Sea Pigeon!"

Easterby walked the course himself before racing to ensure that conditions were, if not perfect, at least passable. Mindful of the £100,000 prize at stake, it would, he inferred, have taken concrete-like ground to have persuded him not to run Somnus.

"I made sure, when I walked it, that I tested it with a sharp stick, just to convince myself, and Lady Legard, that it was okay!" joked Easterby.

The trainer, who last month won the St Leger with Bollin Eric, has now accumulated an extraordinary £1.2m in prize money for his owners this season.

As for Somnus, his earnings alone stand at more than £250,000, making him one of the biggest money-earning horses of the season.

Plans for the future remain unconfirmed. "I'll take my instructions from Lady Legard," quipped Easterby. "I don't know where we'll go next. We'll see what's left for him this season and may even consider taking him to France if there was a suitable race."

Updated: 09:38 Wednesday, October 09, 2002