Murphy thrilled by Champagne’s super 16-length triumph
The future could be bright for some of the winning horses at Ayr’s New Year meeting yesterday, with some eye-catching performances on show.
The best was saved till last when Champagnesuperover, owned by the Mcneill family and Patrick and Scott Bryceland and trained by Olly Murphy, romped clear in the National Hunt Flat Race under jockey Adrian Heskin to win by a massive 16 lengths from Western Starlet, the 11-4 favourite.
The 3-1 chance was named after England’s dramatic last over win in the Cricket World Cup last July and oozed class throughoutthetwo-milerace.
“He’s a nice horse – I don’t know how strong that bumper was, but he couldn’t have done it any easier,” said Murphy. “He’s a horse that is going to win plenty of races.”
The Mcneill family also own the Warren Greatrextrained Portrush Ted, 11-4, who returned after a 519day absence to win the feature race of the afternoon, the Book Direct At Western House Hotel Handicap in impressive style by twoand-a-quarter lengths from Grand Morning. Also ridden by Adrian Heskin, this horse is another who it could pay to follow in the coming months.
The same can be said of Marown, 5-2, trained by
Nicky Richards and ridden by Brian Hughes, who won the maiden hurdle with two-and-a-half lengths from Sirwilliamwallace.
Champion jockey Richard Johnson rode the 6-1 chance Endlessly to victory for Olly Murphy in the novices’ hurdle and remains two clear of Brian Hughes in this year’s jockeys’ title race.