Mania delighted with Musselburgh treble
RYAN MANIA was the jockey to follow at Musselburgh as the Grand Nationalwinning pilot treated a big New Year’s Day crowd to a stunning 204- 1 treble. Bringbackmemories landed the opener for Irish handler John McConnell with Large Action springing a 25- 1 upset for Roger Fell before Benson competed the threetimer in the concluding event for Sandy Thomson.
“It was great to win on the first and last horses as they are owned by Jimmy Fyffe, who I know really well so I’m delighted for him,” Mania said.
“Large Action hadn’t run over fences before and hadn’t achieved a great deal as a hurdler but he jumped pretty well for me out there today.”
Ed Austin- ridden Brandy McQueen made a lot of the running on his way to winning the Fitzdares Happy New Year Handicap Hurdle for Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford.
“He’s handled the soft ground and been a real star this season,” Rutherford said. “He’s so consistent and will make a lovely chaser one day.”
Craig Nichol was given a 12- day ban for taking the wrong course aboard Northern Falcon in the race. With the Pauline Robson- trained 11- 1 shot pulling hard in the early stages, Nichol found himself in front and clear of the pack when the incident occurred.
As he approached the turn which brings the runners back into the home straight, Northern Falcon ran out, heading to the wrong side of the bend and on to the chase course.
The rider immediately pulled up the free- going eight- year- old and following a stewards’ inquiry, Nichol was banned from January 15 to 27 inclusive.
The report from the stewards’ said: “An inquiry was held to consider the reason Northern Falcon, ridden by Craig Nichol, had appeared to take the incorrect course after jumping the last hurdle in the back straight, running on the wrong side of the rail and the marker denoting the chase course, whereupon Nichol pulled the gelding up.
“The rider was interviewed and shown recordings of the incident.
Having heard Nichol’s explanation, the rider was suspended for 12 days for taking the wrong course.”
At Cheltenham, Marie’s Rock bounded back into action with a convincing triumph in the careers@ dornangroup. com Relkeel Hurdle.
The Nicky Henderson- trained mare has not been seen since April, when she signed off her season with a superb Grade One double in mares’ contests at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
Back in action against geldings in this Grade Two heat, the mare took no time to hit her stride when coming home a wide- margin winner at 11- 2 under Nico de Boinville.
Getting weight all round, she made smooth progress to grab the lead from Dashel Drasher and
galloped six lengths clear, with stablemate First Street a further head back in third.
Betfair make Marie’s Rock a 4- 1 chance from 8s to defend her Mares’ Hurdle title in March, while she is 16- 1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Henderson said: “It surprised me how well she did it. To do that was pretty impressive. Nico was always sat there having a lovely time. She gets through this ground – this is not nice ground – but she sort of scampers along. She is not like one of these great big, long- striding chasers that can’t get through it. She scampered and she gets through it better than most.
“I can’t see any point in going anywhere with her before Cheltenham.”
The Real Whacker stunned his rivals with an outsider’s victory in the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase..
The seven- year- old was a 10- 1 chance for the Grade Two under Sam Twiston- Davies, with Paul Nicholls’ Monmiral the most fancied of the field as the 13- 8 favourite for the race better known as the Dipper.
Jumping exceptionally throughout, the Patrick Nevilletrained gelding travelled strongly from the off and was not for catching when striding into an unassailable lead up the hill, coming home threeanda- quarter lengths in front of Monmiral, with Betfair introducing him as a 25- 1 chance for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival and a 33- 1 shot for the Brown Advisory at the March showpiece.