Soft Risk wins as Richards showcases another young star

Penrith trainer Nicky Richards likes nothing better than running his promising young horses at Ayr and one of his newest young stars put on an outstanding performance yesterday in winning the Coral Novices Hurdle.

Soft Risk made his debut in a national hunt flat race at the track in May and, for his first hurdle race, was sent off the 1-2 favourite and won by five lengths from Well Planted under Brian Hughes.

Owner James Westoll travelled from his home near Carlisle to watch the race and Richards said after the race: “He is a fine prospect and should in time make into a good chaser. Brian (Hughes) wants us to run him again at Ayr so we will probably be back for another novices’ hurdle next month.”

Jockey Daryl Jacob landed a double in the last two races with Shanroe Al C (11-2) on the three mile handicap chase for trainer Karl Thornton, followed by a comfortable win for the Stuart Crawford-trained Carfunnock (11-8 fav) in the national hunt flat race.

Ask Blossomfort (17-2) was the easiest winner of the afternoon for brothers trainer Brian Cawley and jockey Alain Cawley in the two-and-a-halfmile mares’ hurdle.

At Warwick today, Edward-stone can make it third time lucky over fences in the Highflyer Bloodstock Novices’ Chase. Alan King’s charge was a useful performer over hurdles, winning three times and placing in a string of thoroughly competitive heats. His chase career got off to something of a false start last term when, after finishing a creditable fifth in the Greatwood Hurdle on his seasonal bow, he came to grief at just the fourth obstacle at Doncaster in December.

Connections opted to change tack after that jumping mishap that saw him unseat his rider, switching back to hurdles to place in the Betfair Hurdle and an Aintree Grade Three as well as posting a close-up fifth in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. King moved his attentions back to chasing this term, but fortune did not favour him at this venue earlier in the month, with Edward-stone seemingly tanking along behind the reopposing For Pleasure before the leader fell and brought him down. A similar effort today could be sufficient in what is a pretty decent event.

Precious Eleanor can build on a fair start over fences in the Start Your Racing-tv Free Trial Now Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase. Making her chasing bow at Fakenham last month, she jumped fine, but not as well as six-lengths clear Barbados Blue, so should be wiser for the experience.