Favourite lands opener at penultimate meeting
PROUDLY Warwick Raceday, the penultimate meeting of the current season, remembered people and horses connected with the course since its official opening in 1707, reports David Hucker.
The runners finished in single file in the opening Logicor William Eborall Maiden Hurdle with The Long Walk, who shortened in price late-on to go off 11/8 favourite, coming home an easy winner from Two To Tango. The two had disputed the lead early on, but The Long Walk went clear going down the back straight and, with his rivals struggling to make up ground, had 11 lengths to spare over Two To Tango with Roadshow the same distance away in third.
There was another well-supported favourite in the following Logicor Warwickshire Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle in the shape of Mr Le Philosophe, twice a winner on the flat in France, but unsuccessful in seven starts for Rebecca Menzies.
Now with Newmarket trainer James Owen and with champion jockey Sean Bowen in the saddle, Mr Le Philosophe was a well-backed 5/4 chance, but the money was lost as he failed by a nose to peg back front-running Iolaos Du Mou, a drifter in the betting from 15/2 to 10/1, who gave jockey Tabitha Worsley her third winner of the season.
The trip was just short of three-and-a-quarter miles for the Logicor Chandler Handicap Chase and, when top-weight Slievegar jumped past leader Eightytwo Team four fences from home, the race looked all over. He seemed to lose momentum going into the final jump, however, and had no answer to Eightytwo Team’s renewed effort which saw him go 7½ lengths clear on the run-in.
Stratford winner Time Interval looks like a horse on an upward curve and he led all the way in the hands of Adam Wedge to land the feature £16,000 Pricedup.Bet Carnival Handicap Hurdle for Edgcote trainer David Dennis. Bottom-weight Tara Iti came to challenge at the final hurdle, but Time Interval was not for passing and he ran on strongly to win by 1 1⁄4 lengths with Enthused, having his first run over hurdles for six months, six lengths away in third.
A Dublin Job overcame another hike in the weights to notch a hat-trick in the Logicor Saumur Handicap Chase. Although chasing debutant Gwennie May Star kept him company in the lead on the first circuit, A Dublin Job, having his first run for 334 days, was out on his own over the last seven fences and, jumping boldly, held off the challenge of odds-on favourite Davidoc.
Toby Wynne brought Crystal Glance, supported from 11/2 to 4/1, with a well-timed run to lead at the final flight and hold off favourite Getalead, who had been prominent throughout, in the closing Logicor Coronation Handicap Hurdle.
Warwick stages the last meeting before its summer break next Wednesday, June 4th, with the first race at 6pm.
