This was an extra meeting, transferred from Worcester to allow that course to recover from flooding. Several of the leading trainers sent runners. The going here at Ffos Las was good, and dried out a little on a fine afternoon. The times of the chases were all good, and there was a course record in the 3m chase.
Few forecast backers will recall the first race fondly. The 16/1 outsider, Middlebrow, beat the next longest priced horse, New Millennium. They took those positions after the third last and a big leap at the final fence sealed victory for the leader, who William Kennedy guided to a three length win. It was trainer Donald McCain’s first runner at the track.
The 2m novice hurdle featured a Dan Skelton-trained horse who had won all his seven starts in points, bumpers and over hurdles. Longhouse Sale (1/10 fav) tracked the leader until coasting ahead approaching the last. Other than looking round for dangers, Harry Skelton sat motionless on him on the run-in for a very easy win indeed. Manor Park was grossly flattered to finish within a length and three quarters of him.
Another facile win came in the 2m4f novice chase. Le Musee (10/1) was having his first race over fences, and took to it well. He jumped to the front at the second last on the far side, and gradually extended his lead under David Noonan to come in first by 17 lengths. Included plugged on to finish second to Nigel Hawke’s runaway winner.
The fragile Barranco Valley (6/4 fav), who had run only three times in four years, rewarded his owners’ patience in the 2m4f maiden hurdle. His jockey, Tom Scudamore, was allowed to dictate a steady pace before he sprinted off the final bend. Velvet Resolution kept tabs on him but couldn’t quite draw level, and the leader found more on the run-in to prevail by a length and three quarters. David Pipe was the successful trainer, following up his recent victory in the fathers’ race at his children’s school’s sports day.
The Skeltons completed a double in the 2m4f handicap hurdle with Floki (5/1). He took the lead at the penultimate flight only to veer sharply to his right on the run to the next. However, Harry sat tight and, giving the horse vigorous encouragement, got him going straight to win by four and a half lengths from the locally-trained Gone Platinum.
Colin Tizzard’s eleven-year-old Bally Longford ran and jumped really well when winning here three weeks ago under Harry Cobden. The same combination repeated the dose today to triumph at odds of 9/1. He took the lead at the fourth last and was in command after the next. He didn’t have too hard a race in scoring by five lengths from Dead Right.
The bumper went to High Charge (5/2 jt fav), the second ever runner from the flat race stable of Charlie Hills, carrying the colours of his father Barry. Taking a narrow lead early in the straight, his rider Jonjo O’Neill junior repeatedly looked round for dangers until asking for an effort a furlong out. The horse then sped further ahead, shifting left initially, and finished two and a half lengths ahead of Heavey.
