Dizzy delights at Plumpton

DOUBLE DIZZY landed a dramatic Sussex National at Plumpton yesterday, in which five of the nine runners either fell or were brought down.

The winner, trained by Bob Buckler, was always going well for Andrew Glassonbury and jumped best throughout the marathon contest before taking up the running on the final circuit and easing to a comfortable 15-length victory.

The complexion of the race changed enormously at the very first flight when outsider Zimbabwe took a crashing fall, which severly hampered Mid Div And Creep and led to 3-1 second-favourite Diamond Brook being brought down.

Evella made the running in the early stages along with 13-8 favourite Strongbows Legend, who was chasing his second successive victory after an easy win at Hereford last time out.

However, Strongbows Legend crashed out down the back straight on the second circuit, which left a depleted field of six to battle it out.

Coming into the home straight for the second time, Rate Of Knots was another of runners to take a tumble and Justabout, ridden by conditional jockey Brendan Powell, took the lead as the runners went out on their final circuit.

8-1 chance Double Dizzy was quietly popping away in the midfield as Mid Div And Creep, who was tailed off for the majority of the race, began to stay on under Gina Andrews.

Near The Water was the final faller as the field began to tire and it was Double Dizzy and Justabout who were the pair left to fight out the finish after Evella was pulled-up.

Once 11-year-old Double Dizzy struck the front he drew readily clear to win easily ahead of Justabout and Mid Div And Creep.

Winning trainer Buckler said: “He’s a real amazing horse. He has a mind of his own a bit and I always said one day he was going to win a decent race,” said Buckler.

“I did have my heart in my mouth when one tangled up in front of him and for a second or two after that he didn’t seem to be travelling.

“You can never work out what he’s going to do. I was a bit worried here because they pass the stables a few times as he might think about.

“Once he was out in front he was still travelling. He’s had 62 races for me. I’m delighted for the owner that the old horse has come right in the end.”