Father and son bag a brace at Warwick meet
TRAINER Nigel Twiston-Davies and his jockey son Sam were the combination in form at a blustery Warwick on Monday, landing a double with Smiling Getaway and Ballycamus, reports David Hucker.
Smiling Getaway proved too strong for odds-on favourite Break My Soul, a £290,000 purchase from Ireland, in the second division of the Welcombe Hills Vineyard Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, following up her Ludlow win in style, and Ballycamus led into the home straight to see off all challengers in the racingtv.com/Freetrial Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The most impressive performance of the afternoon, however, came in the very first race, the Hazelton Mountford Insurance Brokers Juvenile Hurdle over two miles. Shaking off a 7lb penalty for his win at Market Rasen, Givemefive followed up in some style, making all the running and jumping with precision to put 18 lengths between himself and favourite Orchestra.
This was trainer Harry Derham’s first winner at Warwick and his 24th of the season so far with bookmakers Paddy Power quoting Givemefive at 25/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Either Or comfortably landed the first division of the Welcombe Hills Vineyard Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, in which Dan Skelton’s odds-on favourite Lightening Mahler was a disappointing fourth, giving jockey Nico de Boinville his first winner since returning from injury the day before.
Skelton had better luck in the Watch Racing TV For Free For 31 Days Handicap Hurdle over three miles and a furlong when 11/8 favourite Seefin made most of the running to beat Feivel and record his third win in his last four starts.
There was nothing to choose between Head And Heart and Shot Boii jumping the last fence in the long-distance Start Your Racing TV Free Trial Now Handicap Chase but, in receipt of 7lbs, it was Head And Heart, ridden by Micheal Nolan, also recording his first Warwick winner, who proved the stronger on the run-in before D’Jango and Immy Robinson sprang a shock in the closing Willoughby De Broke Open Hunters’ Chase when overhauling 4/9 favourite Tea Clipper close home.
