A MYSTERY punter had bookmakers running for cover at Kelso's final meeting of the season yesterday. The backer, who wished to remain anonymous, produced #20,000 in cash from a plastic bag to place on Jigtime in the Hunter's Chase at odds of 2-1 on.
Eventually sent off at 5-2 on, the Galashiels mare hardly gave the punter a moment's anxiety as she stormed home to win by 14 lengths.
Heriot raider Coqui Lane gained his sixth course success for Michael Dun in the three-mile handicap chase.
Peter Niven, currently recovering from a back operation, missed riding a treble when the Mary Reveley-trained Country Orchid, Sandabar, and Lippy Louise all won.
q Punters looking for enlightenment as to the exact make-up of the Vodafone Derby field were left as puzzled as ever yesterday as four Aidan O'Brien-trained horses remained in the race.
O'Brien's Second Empire, King of Kings, Saratoga Springs, and Chateau Royal were among 27 horses left in at the final forfeit stage for the Classic at Epsom on June 6.
In addition, there is still the possibility that the Godolphin team will stump up the #75,000 to enter 1000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi at the supplementary stage on May 30. Derby entries after yesterday's forfeit stage:
Border Arrow, Chateau Royal, City Honours, Cloclo, Courteous, Croco Rouge, Dream Well, Fa-Eq, Greek Dance, Gulland, Haami, High-Rise, King of Kings, Make No Mistake, Mudeer, Mutamam, Pegnitz, Rabah, Sadian, Saratoga Springs, Second Empire, Sunshine Street, The Glow-Worm, Tornado Prince, Two-Twenty-Two, Uranus Quercus, Wild Tempo.
q Saturday morning horseracing, which has been pencilled in for next year, yesterday drew a mixed response from trainers and jockeys.
The venture is principally to plug a gap for betting shops at a time when they are busy and the matter was discussed at the first meeting of the British Horseracing Board's new All-Weather Tracks Joint Working Party on Monday.
Paul Greeves, the BHB's director of racing, who chaired Monday's meeting, stressed that morning fixtures would be an experiment and hoped, therefore, that they would be met with an open mind.
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