Middleham Park celebrate hitting century in style at Lingfield

Middleham Park Racing left it late to reach 100 winners for 2024 but ended up getting there with time to spare as Master Technician and Rebel Empire gave them a New Year’s Eve double at Lingfield.

The leading racehorse syndication company went into the meeting needing one more victory to hit a century and Rod Millman’s Master Technician duly obliged in the BetMGM: It’s Showtime/EBF Restricted Novice Stakes.

Lewis Edmunds was always in a prominent position on the 4-7 favourite and they hit the front a furlong out before going to score by a length and a quarter.

Rebel Empire later landed the £30 In Free Bets With BetUK Handicap in emphatic fashion at 4-1 for Richard Hannon and Tyrese Cameron.

Middleham Park director of racing Tim Palin said: “We’re delighted to achieve the 100. Obviously we’ve been panicking a little bit lately as to will we get there or won’t we get there and today was our last two rolls of the dice, so it’s great for Master Technician and for Rod to train that winner for us – and then Rebel Empire prevailing was the icing on the cake.

“Who would have thought 30 years ago when we first set up that we’d have a hundred winners in a year. I never thought that we’d have a hundred runners ever when little old Middleham Park started up in 1995 with Patrick Haslam.

“It’s gone from strength to strength because of a few winners along the way and the very kind support from all our owners – there’s over a thousand owners with us now and we’re delighted to have each and every one of those on board.

“We’ve got a fantastic team of staff behind the scenes, who work tirelessly and ceaselessly to achieve as close to perfection as we can on and off the track.

“So, hopefully we can continue the success and the rich vein of form that we’ve been in this year and then build on that and go from strength to strength.”