Family affair as Reeds strike Perth gold

O n Pe r t h’s r i c h e s t r a c e d ay, I n d i a n Te mp l e p r o d u c e d a thrilling all the way victory in the £40,000 S am Morshead Perth Gold Cup for father and son partnership Tim and Harry Reed.

Trained in Northumberland by Reed senior, his son Harry got the 7-1 chance home by a short head from Van Gogh Du Granit despite dropping his whip half-way up the run-in.

H a r r y s a i d : “A f t e r l o s i n g my stick my thoughts were ‘what my dad would say if we got beat!?’ There were doubts about the trip but he’s seen it out well.

“I t ’s a l u c k y d a y t h i s f o r Indian Temple, as we’ve won the two and a half mile chase for the last two years.

“I’m really pleased as my dad trains him and he’s owned by my grandad. He’s been a great horse for my career and we also won a good race at Musselburgh together.

“It’s great to win this race as my family has close connections with Sam and I know his son Henry well.”

Sam Coltherd-ridden Ardera Cross, who only cost £1,000, sprung a 40 -1 upset for William Young in the Edinburgh Gin Handicap Hurdle.

T h e C l y d e Va l l e y t r a i n e r, saddling his first winner for three years, said: “I actually had a tenner each-way on him at 66-1 so I’ve nearly paid for him!

“It was the price that attracted me to him at the sales and we actually haven’t had him too long.”

Blair Campbell rode out his 5lb allowance when making all on Bialco in the Fonab Castle Novices’ Hurdle for his boss Lucinda Russell.

T h e c o mb i n a t i o n s aw o f f the hot favourite Carrie Des Champs by half a length and the Hawick-born jockey said: “That’s my 40th winner so my claim is reduced to 3lb.

“My horse had a bit more experience than most in the race so we decided to change tactics.”

Meanwhile, Golden Circle might b e the answer in the Mr Wolf Sprint Handicap at Pontefract today.

Richard Fahey’s filly enjoyed a p r o mi s i n g j u ve n i l e c a mpaign, the highlights of which we r e a n i mp r e s s i ve R i p o n success and a close-up second on her most recent outing at York in October.

With just four runs in total under her belt, Golden Circle is open to further progress and returns off a workable mark of 79 – plus the 5lb claim of talented apprentice Sean Davis.