Sergeant To Lay Down Law In Cesarewitch Rod Millman´s Sergeant Cecil can crown a memorable season by winning the totesport Cesarewitch at Newmarket. The last of the season´s great staying handicaps is always a pulsating affair, as last year´s renewal illustrated. Just over five lengths covered the first 11 of the 32 runners in the two mile, two-furlong contest, which eventually went to Mark Johnston´s Contact Dancer. And if Sergeant Cecil shows his unquestionable bravery and class, he can take the starring role this time. Punters are always likely to get a good run for their money with this horse as Millman´s charge is an ultra-consistent performer. He has finished out of the top three only once in his last 12 outings when he put up an inexplicably bad performance over a mile and a half at Epsom. Sergeant Cecil showed that run to be all wrong on his next start when he bounced back to be second at Newbury, but it was his victory in the John Smith´s Northumberland Plate which really set tongues wagging. The six-year-old never left the inside rail on that occasion and strode purposefully to the line to score by one and a half lengths - despite encountering traffic problems on the run-in. Sergeant Cecil then eclipsed that feat by becoming the first horse since 1911 to land the Northumberland Plate and Ebor in the same year. Alan Munro gave the King´s Signet gelding a patient ride at York before finishing like an express train to hold off Melbourne Cup hopeful Carte Diamond by a length. Sergeant Cecil lost nothing in defeat finishing second behind Millenary in the Group Two Doncaster Cup last month on what was a big step up in class. He was just three-quarters of a length behind the winner which was no disgrace considering it was his first crack at Pattern-race company. A proven hold-up performer with a big heart, Millman´s charge looks capable of making a bold effort to complete a remarkable treble in the Cesarewitch. He is currently a stand-out 12-1 with Coral for the Newmarket event and punters should take advantage well in advance of the October 15 feature.? PA Sport
