Ballyandy justifies favouritism at Perth
● Triumph for Twiston-davies combination ● Cash in on Beat The Bank at Newmarket
The Timothy Hardie Jewellers Novices’ Chase has a rich history and it produced another worthy winner in the shape of Ballyandy on the final day of action of 2017 at Perth.
Send off the 8-13 favourite, he was driven to a one-length success over Fagan by Sam Twiston-davies.
Grand National hero Bindaree, Fundamentalist and Double Ross are just three of the stars to have landed the 2m 4f event for trainer Nigel Twiston-davies, who was also successful 12 months ago with subsequent Grade 1 winner Flying Angel.
He said: “I always bring my best novice hurdler from the previous season up for this and he did it well enough. I won’t be scared to drop him back to two miles and he will run in all the top novice chases this season.”
Jet Master received a rapturous reception after he landed the Anderson Anderson & Brown Handicap Hurdle for the third year in a row.
Nick Alexander’s 9-4 jointfavourite, co-owned by Harry Turcanandsirsimondunning, was again partnered by the Kinneston trainer’s daughter Lucy as he saw off Thunder Sheik by two lengths.
The winning handler said: “He’s very versatile as he’s also won three times over fences. His next target will be Newcastle in mid-november for the chase that he won last year.”
Local trainers Lucinda Russell and Lucy Normile were on themarkwithmumgosdream and Cruachan, while there was another Scottish success in the shape of Iain Jardine-trained Golden Jeffrey.
On a cracking Glorious Finale card, the Edinburgh Gin sponsored awards for leading Perth owner, trainer and jockey went respectively to Paul and Clare Rooney, Gordon Elliott and Brian Hughes.
Meanwhile, Butterscotch can take the next step along the racing ladder by winning the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket today.
The Galileo filly is not the best youngster in Aidan O’brien’s care, but she has shown enough on a racecourse to warrant deep respect in this Group Two over seven furlongs.
Butterscotch’s maiden win at Naas in June was a bit tasty as she breezed five lengths clear of Dawn Hoofer.
That form was probably nothing out of the ordinary, but the same cannot be said for her run in the Group Three Grangecon Stud Stakes in July.
She did not win, but there was certainly no disgrace in finishing second to stablemate Clemmie, who is a horse of huge potential and has subsequently taken Group Two honours at Newmarket.
Andrew Balding has done a smashing job with Beat The Bank, who is deeply respected in the Shadwell Joel Stakes.
The gelded son of Paco Boy has won three of his four starts since his transfer from Ireland and is well worth a shot at this grade.beatthebankabsolutely hosed up in the Group Three Thoroughbredstakesatgoodwood last month and the third horse home that day, Forest Ranger, has since finished a close second in the Strensall Stakes at York so the form is reassuringly strong enough.
Beat The Bank takes on a host of chiselled, Pattern-race performers but he gets weight from most of the field.