Night In Vegas denies Arapaho Gold in Ascot thriller Night In Vegas wrapped up a phenomenal season with a fourth straight success after Charlie Bishop timed his challenge to perfection in a thrilling Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes at Ascot. Having won three sales races on the bounce, Eve Johnson Houghton’s money-spinner was sent off 5-2 to complete the year on the ultimate Champions Day high, but it was Michael Dods’ Gimcrack hero Arapaho Gold who was the 9-4 favourite to regain the winning thread after a first defeat last time out. The northern raider had dictated throughout on the front end and was battling on resolutely, with Clive Cox’s Satellite Of Love a constant presence at his withers. However, with the winning line fast approaching Night In Vegas edged closer and closer, with the judge required as the duo flashed past the post in unison. A nose was the official verdict as the Kennet Valley Syndicates-owned son of Lucky Vega swelled the coffers even further at the end of a fine season. Johnson Houghton was overjoyed and said: “My heart is not great! I was standing watching with Becky Dunlop and I was convinced we were beat, but she kept saying, ‘wait for the photo’. “I have to say when it did come through I made a bit of a show of myself, a right noise, but I honestly thought we were beat. “They went so fast early he got behind a wall of horses that weren’t as good as him, but he’s like a little motorbike when he weaves in and out of them. “He has been incredible, what a horse. He’s run eight times, he’s won six, he was third in the Richmond, fifth in the Coventry. He’s not got the greatest feet and in the middle of the summer he probably wasn’t in the greatest condition when the ground was at it’s quickest, so I don’t think that was his best form. “He’s just improving, he’s a wonder horse to train. I did say when we got here that I hoped our ‘Elvis’ still had a song to sing, but he still did. “When he got here he was prancing around in the paddock and you didn’t know if that was because he was over the top or because he couldn’t wait to get on with it. “He’s beaten a Gimcrack winner, it was a tough race and it should be a Group race but I understand the politics behind why it isn’t. But it should be a Group race.” She added: “He’ll now have a nice holiday and so will I! We can dream of all sorts of things for next year now.”
