Henllan Harri holds off Beeves in tight finish as Bowen team strike Perth gold

Henllan Harri and last year’s hero Beeves produced a grandstand finish in yesterday’s £40,000 Energy Check City Of Perth Gold Cup Handicap Chase, the richest race ever staged at the Scone track.

In front of a bumper crowd of more than 6,000, the pair had a ding-dong tussle throughout the three-mile contest and in the end it was the Sean Bowen-ridden 6-1 chance that prevailed by a couple of lengths.

Winning trainer Peter Bowen was taking his 2018 score at Perth to a perfect five winners from five runners and his jockey son said: “I told my dad he was a certainty in this so it was good to be proved right!

“We went a right good gallop and Beeves was so tough to shake off. It’s a terrific prize to win for the time of year and we love coming to Perth even though it’s a ten-hour journey for the horsebox.”

The Welsh father and son combination had earlier initiated a short-priced double when Curious Carlos saw off Caius Marcus in the Coretrax Technology Novices’ Chase.

Bowen senior said: “His form is starting to look alright as the horse we beat at Sedgefield last time has won since at Kelso. We will stick at two miles for now and he enjoys this nice ground.”

Indian Temple and Harry Reed repeated last year’s win in the Mackie’s Celebrate The Summer Handicap Chase. The winner, who made all

0 Peter Bowen: Double strike. the running to score by 13 lengths, is trained by Reed’s former jockey father Tim.

Jim Goldie was all smiles after Titus Bolt pipped Nendrum by a length and a half in the Energy Check Utility Comparison Handicap Hurdle. “I’m delighted as this horse was off the course for two years with a leg and he’s owned by Ian Dalgleish who has been with me for a few years now,” said Goldie.

Meanwhile, Musselburgh has crowned another capacity sell-out Stobo Castle Ladies Day on Saturday by extending a sponsorship deal with Scotland’s only destination health spa.

Stobo Castle has committed to a further five-year relationship with the course’s premier summer raceday and the new agreement, worth around £150,000, will run from 2019 until 2023.

Saturday’s feature race, the Listed £40,000 Stobo Castle Ladies Day Gold Cup, was won by 20-1 shot Pepita ridden by Phillip Makin.