Lady Buttons makes winning debut for county trainer Kirby

NORTH YORKSHIRE trainer Phil Kirby can start thinking of some lofty targets for Lady Buttons after she made a winning chasing debut at Bangor.

A very creditable second to Warren Greatrex’s potentially high class Le Bague Au Roi at Wetherby on Charlie Hall Chase day, she looked a natural over bigger obstacles in the hands of Adam Nicol.

Lady Buttons jumped with aplomb throughout the Yorton Stallions Mares’ Novices’ Chase and took advantage of a minor error at the last by Dusky Legend to win by a length and three-quarters at 4-1.

Kirby, who is based in Richmond, said: “It was perfect. We’d schooled her in between Wetherby and this and she was brilliant.

“There wasn’t really any suitable races for her coming up so we thought we’d take a chance.

“She had schooled so well and she’s a very good mare. She’s probably still never shown how good she is.

“If we have a clean run with her she could be very good. In hindsight, she probably got to the front too soon at Wetherby, otherwise she might have won there, too.

“There’s a Listed hurdle for her at Leopardstown over Christmas so we’ll just see if that’s what we do. We might also look for a chase for her.

“Hopefully if we keep her in one piece she’ll be in some big races.”

Brian Hughes continued his domination of Northern jump racing with a 556-1 four-timer at Ayr.

All four were for different trainers, with North Yorkshirebased Hughes kicking off on Acdc for Chris Grant in a handicap chase over an extended three miles.

Tim Easterby’s Attention Seaker was fit from a recent run on the Flat and came good in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.

Lough Derg Jewel overcame a seven-month absence to defy top weight in the limited handicap chase for Donald McCain.

The prolific Hughes finished off with victory on the Dr Richard Newland-trained Catamaran Du Seuil in another handicap chase.

Alan King’s stable star Yanworth came to grief on his second start over fences at Exeter.

The Grade One-winning hurdler made a faultless start to his new vocation when winning at the same track just over three weeks ago.

However Barry Geragthy’s mount buckled on landing at the seventh obstacle in a race won by Briery Queen. “He’s absolutely fine, thankfully,” said King.

“He just landed a touch steep and came down, it happens. At the end of the day he didn’t stand up and it has messed up our plans somewhat.”