Streak over after treble joy

SAM Twiston-davies emphatically ended a 36-ride losing streak with a Huntingdon treble, completed by Innisfree Lad in the Mansionbet Faller Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

Having endured a day to forget at Wetherby 24 hours earlier, during which Ballyoptic pulled up in the feature Charlie Hall Chase, Twiston-davies enjoyed the perfect confidence-booster at the Cambridgeshire track.

He said: “It’s a fairly crazy game. You go 36 rides without a winner, and you start to think ‘what you are doing - are you doing it wrong?’.

“It shows, though, when you are on the best horses to have a plan and stick with it.”

Innisfree Lad cruised home 18 lengths clear of Shantou Sunset, for Twiston-davies and trainer Tom Symonds.

Orchestral Rain gave Twiston-davies and trainer Dr Richard Newland the second of their two winners by 10 lengths as 2-1 favourite in the Mansionbet Proud To Support British Racing Juvenile Hurdle.

Even-money favourite Chef De Troupe got the ball rolling for Twiston-davies and Newland, following up his recent Perth success by two lengths in the Download The Mansionbet App Claiming Hurdle.

Newland said: “He is a nice horse with lots of ability - but he got a fair hike for winning last time, so we thought this was a good option. He will go back into handicaps now, because no one came forward to claim him.”

Espoir De Romay was the opening leg of an across-the-card double for Andoversford trainer Kim Bailey - with an impressive two-and-a-halflength success on his debut over fences in the Watch And Bet At Mansionbet Novices’ Chase.

Bailey, also on target with rising star Imperial Aura at Carlisle, said: “He is a nice horse and at the end of it he will have learnt a bit today. (Jockey) Ciaran (Gethings) was very impressed with him.

“He had a good season last year and he was one I was looking forward to, because he has been good over fences at home. He will be a better horse on softer ground.”