Ballyandy chases Perth prize

● Twiston-davies raider set for debut over fences if track passes inspection

Perth’s season ends in style today with Ballyandy one of the stars on parade as he makes his debut over fences.

The seven-race card needs to pass an 8am precautionary inspection due to the threat of overnight rain although the course was perfectly raceable yesterday.

Hazel Peplinski, Perth Racecourse chief executive, said: “We are doing everything within our powers to keep the show on the road.

“Let’s hope we avoid the worst of the rain and complete the season, but we shall not compromise safety and there are some things you just can’t control.”

Trained by Nigel Twiston-davies, Cotswolds raider Ballyandy faces three rivals, – including useful Fagan – in the Timothy Hardie Jewellers Novices’ Chase.

Ballyandy was second on his hurdles bow at the corresponding meeting last year before finishing fourth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Gordon Elliott-trained Fagan, already a wide-margin winner at Perth this season, was a close runner-up in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.

Meanwhile, Brian Hughes and Ballyben made virtually all the running to land the David Whitaker Handicap Chase at Perth yesterday.

The 7-2 chance slammed odds-on favourite Arctic Gold by nine lengths and winning trainer Malcolm Jefferson said: “The plan is now to head back to Carlisle next month for the race he won last year.”

Hughes, second to Richard Johnson in last season jockeys’ title race, was also successful on Eneko and Sun Cloud to complete a 78-1 treble.