LAST MEETING REVIEW

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We started September with the first of three scheduled fixtures for the month as spectators gathered to enjoy an intriguing afternoon of National Hunt racing.

Leading course trainer Paul Nicholls was double handed in the Happy Birthday Wayne Hockley Congratulations Class 2 Handicap Hurdle as four runners contested the biggest pot of the day. However, the champion trainer had to settle for minor honours as his more-fancied pair of Celestial Force and recent course runner-up Easyrun de Vassy proved no match for Paul Henderson’s Ballyegan Hero. Reverting back to hurdles in what was his first start over timber for the yard, the 10-year-old was prominent throughout the extended 3m 2f contest before extending nicely when asked by Nick Scholfield, eventually eased to win by just over three lengths. Debra Hamer’s stable-star Tobefair returned after a seven-month absence to finish a distant fourth off a big weight, but he’s sure to improve for his first run of the campaign. The seven-race card had earlier opened with a small but select field for the PKF Francis Clark ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ 5 Hurdle over 2m 2½f, which once again saw a Nicholls favourite head to post in the shape of two-time course winner Kilmington Rose. Having landed a hat-trick here earlier in the year, the mare returned to finish runner-up in handicap company over slightly further last time out but made no mistake this time around in beating market rival Our Colossus with seemingly a bit in hand under Harry Cobden. Expect to see this daughter of Presenting back in the winners’ enclosure sooner rather than later.

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The Racing Partnership Novices’ Handicap Chase that followed certainly divided opinion in the build up to the race, with all three runners attracting support at varying stages prior to the off. However, it was the outsider of the field in Helford River that would eventually get the verdict on the track under Brendan Powell, with the Tizzard’s imposing seven-year-old making the most of his lowly weight to score on his first attempt over fences at the main expense of Worcester-scorer Wagner. The mare Nikap ran with plenty of promise back in third.

Following a spin on the Flat for his new yard, Macho Mover made his return to hurdling a winning one by taking the 2m 2½f Selling Hurdle on the card for Olly Murphy. Previously a dual hurdle winner over in Ireland, the six-year-old appeared to be the first of the quartet in trouble rounding the home bend but responded well to David England’s urgings to lead approaching the last and kept on strongly to beat the Nicholls-trained Secret Potion by eight or so lengths. The Racing Partnership Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase that followed saw a much closer finish as O’Faolains Lad and his partner Thomas Doggrell eventually came out on top following a ding-dong battle with Achy Breaky Heart and Mitchell Bastyan up the home straight. A blunder at the last wasn’t enough to stop the winner and trainer Richenda Ford may well be eying a return to the track before the year is out.

The final race saw leading course jockey Harry Cobden pick up his second winner of the afternoon in the bumper aboard Deal Em High for Debra Hamer’s Carmarthenshire yard. The victors narrowly held on to beat the father-daughter partnership of Jimmy and Bryony Frost, who’s Gorcombe Moonshine lost little in his neck defeat.

Thirty or so minutes earlier, Snug As A Bug won as cosily as her name suggests in the 2m 1f Racing Partnership Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for trainer Sue Gardner. The favourite never looked in any danger and was steered to a comfortable eight-length success by Sean Houlihan, with Karannelle having to settle for the runner-up spot.

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PHOTOS: 1 - kilmington rose 2 - helford river 3 - ballyegan hero 4 - macho mover 5 - o’faolains lad 6 - snug as a bug 7 - deal em high