Nigel Twiston-Davies lands double at Stratford to take tally for season to seven
TRAINER Nigel Twiston-Davies was the man in form at Stratford on Monday evening, landing a double with Bagheera Ginge and Flintstone to take his score to seven for the season, writes David Hucker.
Placed in his first two starts, Bagheera Ginge had made all the running in the hands of Tom Bellamy to beat Dreamweaver by 16 lengths and open his account in the Grace & Dotty Maiden Hurdle.
The runner-up was ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, but he was on board his father's Flintstone in the Tess Kelly Big Birthday Celebration Juvenile Hurdle, overhauling 4/6 favourite Mutara on the run-in to bring up the stable double.
In between, Punxsutaweny Phil, ridden by Henry Brooke, had made the journey from Brian Ellison's North Yorkshire stable worthwhile when leading four fences from home and running on well to deny market leader Cremant by one and a quarter lengths in the Grundon Waste Management Novices' Handicap Chase.
Two miles and three furlongs was the trip for the IJF South West Hub Now Open Handicap Chase and the pace was set by Special Buddy and Blaze A Trail, who were still in front going over the penultimate fence.
Special Buddy, who was having his first race under Rules for 391 days, weakened as they turned for home as 11/4 favourite Blaze A Trail forged clear under Connor Brace to record back-to-back course wins for Bridgend trainer John Flint.
In the absence of Dandy Mag, four set out for the Class 3 Dominic Chapman Memorial Handicap Hurdle with Isthebaropen, the mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes, a well-backed 6/5 favourite to beat College Oak, who had scored over the course and distance in June.
Taste The Fear and Sam Twiston-Davies made the running from College Oak, with Isthebaropen tracking the pair, but the race changed after the fifth flight where Gavin Sheehan sent College Oak on and quickened the pace.
Taste The Fear was back in front, however, with three flights to jump, but Isthebaropen breezed past him turning into the home straight to win easily from outsider Forecast, whose chance wasn't helped by a blunder at the last.
Seven lined up for the Stratford Racing Club Handicap Chase and there were plenty keen to be up with the pace, with The Garrison winning the battle for the lead from course and distance winner Trumps Benefit.
The Garrison, sent off at 16-1, was on his own when they turned into the home straight, but the challengers were lining up behind him coming to the final fence and he had to dig deep to see off Getaman and White Turf to bring up Somerset trainer Alexandra Dunn's seventh winner of the season.
As the light quickly faded, Newton Abbot scorer The Galahad Kid was sent off favourite to follow-up in the closing Watch Replays on racingtv.com Open National Hunt Flat Race and he swept past the field in the home straight in the hands of Jack Hogan to win comfortably.
