Viens Chercher survives late scare to land Stratford's feature race
JOCKEY Sean Bowen showed just why he is at the top of his game when sitting tight on Viens Chercher to survive a mistake at the final fence and land the feature Class Three Get Value On Course Handicap Chase at a packed Stratford on Saturday, writes David Hucker.
After applying 12-30mm of water to different parts of the track in the lead up to the meeting, there was good going for the course’s second fixture of the year and Viens Chercher made every yard of the running over the two-and-three-quarter mile trip to see off the challenge of veteran What A Laugh, with top-weight Cut The Corner back in third.
Disappointment of the race was the Dan Skelton trained Set List, who jumped slowly at a number of fences, being beaten a long way out and, having also been entered over hurdles at the meeting, a confidence-boosting run over the smaller obstacles might now be in order.
Fifth in a Grade Two contest last time, Petit Palais was sent off favourite to get back to winning ways in the opening Support Your Oncourse Bookmaker Novices' Hurdle (Novices' Championship Hurdle Series qualifier) over two miles and half a furlong, although there was market support for Skelton’s Peppay Le Pugh.
Sent to the front by Jonathan Burke approaching the final hurdle, Petit Palais looked to have the race in the bag, but outsider Illuminated Beauty, who looks like a chaser in the making, came with a storming late run with David Bass and there was just half a length in it at the line.
Wilmcote trainer Olly Murphy was responsible for two of the nine runners in the Bet With Tattersalls Bookmakers Selling Hurdle, with the former Willie Mullins trained American Tom, once rated 148 over fences, heading the market.
Sent into the lead from the off by David England, American Tom was still at the head of affairs leaving the back straight, but Ardera Cross was laying down a challenge and took over coming round the final turn.
Ardera Cross went clear approaching the final hurdle, but couldn’t hold on as Carrigmoorna Matt emerged from the chasing pack to get up just before the line and score by half a length for the Neil Mulholland Racing Club, who were able to take their winner home after he failed to attract a bid at the post-race auction.
Second-most valuable race on the card was the £11,000 Join Stratford Racecourse 25 Club Handicap Hurdle over an extended three and a quarter miles and it went to the well-backed Huntingdon winner The Welsh Paddies.
You could have thrown a blanket over the seven runners as they jumped the penultimate flight, but Tea Time Fred set up a clear advantage turning for home, only to fade out of contention as The Welsh Paddies and Richard Patrick asserted going to the last and came right away for a ten-length success.
After running over the minimum trip at Ludlow on her last two starts, Our Rockstar relished the extra six furlongs of the Happy Birthday Sarah Kelly Handicap Hurdle, leading out of the back straight with Lee Edwards to thwart a gamble on Sandy Boy.
Course winner Bestwork by-passed the earlier feature race in favour of the shorter Bet With The Course Bookmakers Handicap Chase.
Returning after a break, having pulled up on soft ground at Aintree in December, he was much happier on the faster surface here, jumping well in the lead until passed at the second-last fence by Jarlath, who went on to win by seven lengths.
Hurricane Harvey, runner up on both his starts under Rules was fancied to break his duck in the concluding National Hunt Flat Race but, after holding every chance with two furlongs to go, had no answer to the finishing kick of impressive debutant Enemy Coast Ahead and was run out of second spot close home by In Rem, who made up a lot of ground late on.
No winners on the afternoon at his local course for Dan Skelton, but a treble at Uttoxeter took him to 181 for the season as he chases a double-century, a feat last achieved 17 years ago by legendary 15-times champion trainer Martin Pipe.
