Seven Welsh trainers have had winners in the last week, making up for the lack of success at Aintree, writes Jim Beavis.
At Ffos Las, Dai Rees’ Gone Platinum won the first on the card at 11/1, which was generous considering he’d finished in the frame five times in 11 outings at the track. He cruised into the lead under Lorcan Williams on the long run to the penultimate flight, and didn’t have too hard a race in winning.
Grand National 2019 full results and which finishing places each-way bets pay out on
Tim Vaughan’s Chozen set out to make all the running in the two-mile chase, ridden by Alan Johns, and though he was awkward over a few of the obstacles, the jockey sat tight and beat off a challenger by a head.
Defying his odds of 33/1, John Flint’s Kayf Moss led for most of the way in the three=mile hurdle and kept on well to finish fourth under Paddy Brennan.
The same jockey took the mount on his stablemate Lac Sacre, who had been pulled up in his latest two outings. Being ridden closer to the pace made a big difference, and once he took the lead three out he was untroubled to win by 12 lengths.
Williams teamed up with James Bowen for a Warwick double on Wednesday. Fifty Shades trotted up in a 3m5f chase and showed commendable stamina for a six-year-old. Lace Bonnet came out best in a desperate finish where the first five passed the post within a length-and-three-quarters of each other at 14/1.
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Secret Potion won for Ron Harris at Kempton that evening, getting up gamely near the post. It was the second time he’d won for apprentice Robbie Downey, but as a result of his driving finish the young jockey received a four-day suspension for excessive use of the whip.
On the same card, Milton Bradley’s Muraaqeb won for the second time this year. The first success was over an extended mile, off a sub-basement mark of 37, and this one was over a mile-and-three-furlongs off 46. He was finishing strongly and the versatile five-year-old is probably capable of further improvement.
David Evans has been responsible for three winners in the last week, two of which were juveniles, Zulu Zander and Chasanda. The latter won at Windsor at odds of 25/1, benefiting from the withdrawal at the start of another Evans horse who was the favourite.
Rebecca Curtis’ Joe Farrell was pulled up in the Grand National, but could still go for the Irish equivalent or the Bet365 at Sandown later this month. Sean Bowen had a rotten time riding Monbeg Notorious, who jumped poorly and was last most of the way until also being pulled up.
Trip to Chepstow Racecourse adds up to victory for Carol Vorderman
That didn’t take the gloss off his breakthrough Grade 1 victory in the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle aboard If The Cap Fits. He came out on top by a head in a titanic three-horse battle, which was hailed as the finish of the week. His burgeoning alliance with the winning trainer Harry Fry looks set to prosper.
Bangor has a fixture on Saturday, when racegoers will also be able to learn about its history by viewing a special timeline in the Wynnstay Building, which depicts some of the key moments in 160 years of racing.
