THIRTEEN proved to be the lucky number for trainer Sue Smith as Midnight Shadow took the honours in the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle.
Sent off at 25/1 with Danny Cook on board, Midnight Shadow defied his price on his handicap debut to upset the odds at Ayr as favourite Claimantakingforgan and Chesterfield, winner here 12 months ago, followed the outsider home.
The Scottish Champion Hurdle has grown in prominence in recent years and the 2018 renewal lived up to expectations. The result may have been a surprise, but the win was more than deserved as Midnight Shadow finished strongly to claim the £60,000 prize.
“To be honest, we have always been wanting better ground,” Cook said. “He has been running well on soft and heavy but hasn’t really been seeing out his races fully. He has been getting into the races but not quite seeing them out so the better ground, we were sure, would help and he had a lovely racing weight as well. Anyone that read my blog would have been happy they did because it was a nice price in the end.”
Earlier in the day, it was a case of if at first you don’t succeed, try again, for Theinval as the eight-year-old claimed victory in the opener, the Scotty Brand Handicap Chase.
Jeremiah McGrath had steered Theinval to a distant fourth-place finish in the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase on Friday as, after being hampered, he had to settle for a midfield finish and was unable to justify a 5/2 starting price.
Trainer Nicky Henderson clearly had plenty of faith, though, as Theinval was sent out once again and his decision paid off as a smooth round of jumping and drive from McGrath earned a battling victory as he edged out Dolos.
“I don’t think there is any horse in training that deserves to get his head in front more than this lad,” McGrath said. “Things didn’t go our way [on Friday]. He got hampered five out and it probably did cost us the race. I just looked after him up the home straight with the mind that he was declared again and it was a good bit of training to declare him for both days. It is just a pity that the owners, they were here yesterday but they weren’t planning on staying so they got the train home. It is a shame but I think they will be delighted.”
It was a dream start for the punters but the cheers of celebration proved to be short-lived as the bookmakers got their revenge in the Dawn Homes Novices' Championship Handicap Chase.
Dingo Dollar, who went off at 13/2, produced an eye-catching performance to lead from the front for most of the three mile trip. He was second going over the line, though, as Crosshue Boy swept home to sneak it. The muted cheers from the crowd said it all about how few had picked out the 22/1 shot.
There was no chance of a double-digit winner in the Future Champions Novices’ Chase as five, headed by 15/8 favourite Mia’s Storm, went to post. After Peregrine Run unseated Roger Loughran, the Alan King runner joined Adrien Du Pont in falling four from home.
It left Cobra De Mai battling it out with Bigmatre and it was Harry Bannister who clinched as Bigmatre held on well.
There was more joy to come for the punters in the remaining three races as 5/1 shot Moon Racer was joined in the winner’s enclosure by favourites Cool Mix and Sebastopol, who returned at 7/2 and 3/1 respectively.
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