King eyes Ayr for Notachance
NOTACHANCE executed trainer Alan King’s plan to perfection when winning the Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick.
Barbury Castle handler King opted to save the seven-year-old for this valuable contest after Notachance had won at Bangor 11 weeks ago.
It paid off, with the youngest horse in the line-up landing the spoils.
Notachance had only had five previous races over fences – but that did not stop him being sent off one of the 7-2 joint-favourites.
Tom Cannon never had him too far off the pace set by Captain Chaos, before taking closer order down the back straight.
Notachance led two out, but was immediately challenged by Achille, who put up a strong bid.
However, Notachance stuck to his task well to win by half a length from Achille. Le Breuil, who shared favouritism, stayed on strongly for third, five and a half lengths away.
King said: “He is a progressive young horse and has really improved this season. We were delighted with him at Bangor and he seems to have come forward again.
“We probably got to the front a little bit too soon and he pricked his ears from the second-last, but he kept finding. We always thought he would suit this sort of race and going forward I would imagine we will target the Scottish National. He won’t go to Liverpool (Grand National), as I don’t like the race and neither do the owners.”
He added: “I was glad when the winning line came as it was a long way from the last, like I said. I’ve always thought he is a better horse on good ground and certainly last season he seemed a better horse on better ground.
“We will probably try to find something (before Scottish National), but we will have to go home and think about that. He is too young for Aintree, so he won’t be entered.
“I just think he has matured now and he is seeing his races out properly. He likes to be fresh and well, so we won’t over-race him.”
Elsewhere on the card, trainer Tom Lacey claimed the first Grade Two success of his career after Adrimel made all to land the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle.
Challenged by a host of rivals entering the home straight in the two-mile-five-furlong prize, the 7-2 shot continued to find more out in front on the run down to the final two flights.
Although getting the last wrong, Adrimel stuck to the task well to hold Cheltenham scorer Mint Condition by a neck, with Make Me A Believer the same distance away in third.
Lacey said: “It was wonderful. I’m extremely delighted for Lady Bamford and Alice (Bamford) for allowing me to train him, as it was not necessarily on the cards. I was asked to buy them a couple of horses and I was very grateful to be given one to train.
“It’s testament to the horse that he has been winning over two (miles). We were always excited and waiting to step him up in trip, but I saw no need while he was doing well.
“(But) Haydock enforced that he needed to go up in trip as he was just out of his comfort zone way too early in the race. The cheekpieces just helped his jumping, as it was slicker”.
Assessing future plans, Lacey has not ruled out stepping Adrimel up to three miles at the Festival for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
He added: “I think he would cope with a quicker surface, but ultimately on spring ground you might have to go up (in trip) again. That would be the obvious thing to do, I imagine.
“Possibly he has got the Albert Bartlett or the Ballymore, but what is coming over from Ireland as there will be some smart horses.
“He is still a young horse, only six.
He is a big frame of a horse that will fill out and improve.”
Eileendover took her unbeaten record to three with an impressive victory in the Listed bumper at Market Rasen on Saturday.
The granddaughter of trainer Pam Sly’s 2006 1000 Guineas heroine Speciosa brushed her rivals aside with contemptuous ease, as she turned the Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race into a procession.
Fashion Nova and Dragon Bones made the running, but there was little between the seven-strong field as they came out of the back straight.
Paul O’Brien brought Eileendover on the wide outside to make his challenge, with the 11-8 favourite travelling ominously well.
She cruised into the lead early in the straight and drew six and a half lengths clear of Miss Lamb. Main market rival Grangee, trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, was third.