Clever Cookie wins the Yorkshire Cup Clever Cookie claimed a first Group Two success when coming out on top in an exciting finish to the Betway Yorkshire Cup. A smart hurdler earlier in his career, Peter Niven's eight-year-old has proved a most durable performer on the Flat in the last couple of years and this success saw him build on previous victories at Listed and Group Three level. It was Glaring who set a slow pace in the early stages of the contest, reduced to five runners when favourite Flying Officer bolted before the start and was withdrawn, before Second Step and Andrea Atzeni went for home over two furlongs out. They briefly looked to have the race in safe keeping, but PJ McDonald, stepping in for Danny Tudhope after he was injured in a fall at the track 24 hours earlier, was nursing his mount, a 5/2 chance, into contenton and got the better of Second Step inside the final furlong. It was then Curbyourenthusiasm (15/2), held up in last for most of the way, who produced a dramatic late burst down the outside of the pack to get involved in the finish, but Clever Cookie had enough in hand to score by half a length. McDonald said: "It's a massive feeling for me as horses like this for me to ride are few and far between. To be able to show that if you give me the animal I can get the job done is a great confidence boost. "I was worried for the first half of the race we were going too slow. The only saving grace was he was completely asleep underneath me. "When I gave him a little squeeze to pick up, he changed his legs and I thought he wasn't going to like the ground, but when he knuckled down he really got to the line well. "I followed Andrea (Atzeni on Second Step) - he was the one I wanted to follow when Frankie came out. Things worked out today, it's super." Niven said he'd only decided to let Clever Cookie take his chance after walking the course before racing. "I spoke to William Derby (clerk of the course) last night and he said they'd put a bit of water on, and when I walked it I thought they'd done as well as they could - I'm not saying it would have suited him, but it was safe," he said. The winner was cut in the betting for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot next month, but Niven said: "We'll see how his legs are in the morning and take it from there. He could run but the ground will be a major factor. "To be honest, I had a late-season campaign in my mind, Doncaster and Champions Day at Ascot, but he'll tell us where he wants to go."
