40-1 shot Fairway Freddy lands feature race glory at Stratford
THERE was a surprise in the Pat Smyth 60th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase, feature of Stratford’s six-race card on Saturday, as 40-1 shot Fairway Freddy defied the odds to claim victory for trainer Nick Gifford.
The nine-year-old, making just his second run following a 153-day break, had initially been held up in midfield but made his way through the pack and despite a mistake two from home, he ran on well to beat 2-1 joint-favourite Punxsutawney Phil by four-and-three-quarter lengths.
The meeting got under way with the Jordan Garrett Very Late 21st Female Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle run over two miles and 70 yards and it attracted five entries. In the closest finish of the day, Man Of The Sea, returning to England after five wins at Les Landes in France since June 2021, pipped My Poem, sent off 100-30 favourite, to the line by three-quarters of a length.
The William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle attracted the largest field of the day with 15 runners taking on the trip of two miles and two-and-half furlongs and it was 11-4 shot Samatian, making his first run after 184-day break following wind surgery, who claimed a two-length success from 5-2 favourite Lucky Lover Boy.
Favourite backers had something to cheer in the following Grace And Dotty “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) over two miles and six furlongs as 8-13 shot Hermes Allen recorded a convincing 27-length success for jockey Bryony Frost. The five-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, had not been since a third-placed finish at Kirkistown on 20th November last year and was making his Rules debut.
Aliomaana had finished fourth at Stratford in June and the four-year-old chestnut filly marked her return to the course with a three-and-three-quarter-length success in the Craig Tuohy’s 40th Birthday Winner Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
Seven lined up for the concluding Join Racing TV Now Handicap Chase over two miles and six-and-a-half furlongs and ten-year-old Flying Verse, who had undergone wind surgery in July, recorded a first win of 2022 after finishing nine-and-a-half lengths clear of 4-1 shot Bolsover Bill.