This fixture was transferred at short notice from Worcester, while that course is undergoing repairs due to earlier flood damage. It was a bright warm evening, and there were some small fields, but the racing was interesting throughout.
The first on the card, a 2m4f mares chase, had only three runners, but one was the prolific mare Midnight Folie, who had won eight points and chases in a row. She couldn’t make it nine, though. She disputed the lead with Mountain Of Angels for most of the race, but the pair’s duel paved the way for a shock result. Miss Millie Wonnacott, on the 16/1 outsider Prettylittlething, bided her time and pounced after the last to pinch the prize from the 1/4 favourite. Neil Mulholland trained the half-length winner, who had not run for 589 days.
The 2m novice chase was won by the four-year-old Teaser (6/5 fav) despite several scrappy leaps. Grageelagh Girl jumped much better and was going well in front turning into the straight, but Teaser fought back to regain the lead after the third last. Tom Scudamore drove him to a four length victory, but David Pipe will have to devote more time to schooling him if he is to succeed as a chaser.
Robert Stephens had a winner on the flat at Chepstow this afternoon and doubled up with Toshima (7/2) in the 2m maiden hurdle, ridden by Tom O’Brien. Returning Glory did his best to make all at a strong gallop, until giving way between the last two flights. Toshima and Surrey Blaze jumped the final obstacle together, but the latter’s mistake ruined his chance. Five lengths was the winning margin.
The 2m4f hurdle was quite a hot race for the time of year. The in-form Welsh runners Pink Eyed Pedro and Dovils Date led the field for most of the way, but it was Jimmy Rabbitte (6/4 fav) who came out on top. Ridden confidently, and stalking the leaders throughout, Sam Twiston-Davies hit the front at the last and Jimmy ran out a decisive winner for the Dr Richard Newland stable. Pedro finished an honourable second, five lengths in arrears.
The setting sun meant that the two hurdles in the home straight would be omitted in the next three races. The first of them, a 2m4f seller, was won by Buckeye Shan (11/2), one of the more modest inmates of the Peter Bowen stable. Last of the main group leaving the back straight, Sean Bowen steered him through the field to catch the Brace family’s front-running Patsio as they by-passed the final flight. Receiving 18 pounds from the second horse, Shan ran on well to score by five lengths.
Donald McCain sent Noah And The Ark (9/4) from Cheshire to compete in the 2m handicap hurdle. With Brian Hughes in the saddle, it was no surprise to see him held up, and not until well inside the final furlong was the horse asked to accelerate. He did so readily and sped away to a length and three quarters win over Carntop at the line.
A three-runner 3m novice hurdle brought the evening to a close, and it resulted in a facile success for the sole Gordon Elliott-trained runner on the card, Braid Blue (8/13 fav). Neither he nor the other principal Sunset Showdown were proven over the trip, so they didn’t go a mad gallop. Braid Blue led entering the straight, and when asked to sprint a furlong and a half out he responded in great style, dashing away to win by six lengths. He’s going to be more than useful.
