Abbey back in winning habit

Two years ago Grey Abbey finished a gallant fourth in the Scottish Grand National and another tilt at the Ayr marathon is on the cards after his resounding success in the Tote Scoop6 Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster yesterday.

Having his first race over fences this season after two runs over hurdles, Howard Johnson’s 4-1 chance was a little rusty at some of the earlier obstacles.

And after making much of the running, Grey Abbey looked held when the 7-4 favourite Rodalko went on after the sixth-last.

But a fine leap four out put him back in contention and, staying on most resolutely for Alan Dempsey, he had 10 lengths to spare over Royal Auclair at the line, with Mercato a further seven back in third.

Rodalko faded into fourth.

“Scottish National here we come,” said Steven Roper, one of the owners. “He was coming back to fences and had just forgotten a bit about it. He’ll go straight to Ayr now.” Grey Abbey has won five times at the track.

Dempsey added: “He’s made a couple of blunders early on. There is a very long run to the first and he’s got the revs up and he’s just taken a chance at the first.

“But he soon settled into a rhythm and that’s the key to him. That’s why places like Ayr and Wetherby suit him, because he can get into a rhythm.

“He battled back today and he’s a real superstar.”

Royal Shakespeare earned a step up in grade after confirming the promise he had shown when winning on his debut at Sedgefield 11 days ago with another comfortable victory in the Light Infantry Plate.

The Steve Gollings-trained gelding had beaten Mobasher by seven lengths at the Co Durham track and that rival reopposed here on 10lb better terms. But it was not enough to turn the tables and Venetia Williams’ charge was beaten three lengths by the winner.

Royal Shakespeare, the even-money favourite, survived a bad blunder at the third flight before pulling his way into the lead off the final bend and, hurdling well in the straight, soon had the race in safe keeping in the hands of Dominic Elsworth.

“He’s improving but he’s still got a lot to learn,” said Gollings. “He doesn’t know what this game is about but when the penny does drop and he learns to settle he will be a good horse.

“I think that mistake was the best thing that could have happened to him because at least now he knows it’s not a game. I think that would have taught him something.

“He has no fancy engagements but I suppose there is Aintree. There will be something there for him, the Martell Novices’ Hurdle or something like that. He’s still a big baby and he’s very novicey yet.”

Gollings added that he would look for another small race for Royal Shakespeare before a possible trip to Aintree next month.

Elsworth completed a 7-1 double when taking the Wilsic Hurdle on After Me Boys for Bingley trainer Sue Smith.

The rider kicked the 3-1 chance into a clear lead approaching the third-last and the move soon had his rivals in trouble. Holding on gamely, After Me Boys landed the spoils by three-quarters of a length from Vicars Destiny.

Another who could be on the way to Liverpool is Chergan, who earned his place in the field for the Topham Trophy with victory in the Auckley Handicap Chase.

The consistent 11-year-old appreciated the faster underfoot conditions to beat Super Nomad by one and three-quarter lengths after taking up the running four out in the two-mile-three-furlong contest.

Guy Steel, co-owner of the Sue Bradburne-trained 7-1 shot, said: “That was brilliant. He couldn’t have done better really and we’ll look at Aintree now and the Grand National fences in the Topham.”

On a day when Royal Shakespeare was the only favourite to oblige, punters had salt rubbed into their wounds when Reel Missile landed the concluding Town Moor Standard National Hunt Flat Race at 100-1 (125-1 on the Tote).

Charles Pogson’s charge belied his odds by making all the running to beat La Perrotine by three lengths in the hands of the trainer’s son Adam.

The win was not a total surprise to connections and the handler’s wife Katie said: “You’ve no idea how a horse will behave first time out but he has been working very well at home.

“We thought he’d run a good race and we said if he finished in the first half-dozen we’d be happy, so I put a pound or two on.”

McCracken jumped like an old hand to open his account over fences at the first time of asking in the Bawtry Beginners’ Chase, beating Armen in good style by six lengths.

He was giving owner Nick Morgan, who claimed the horse after he won at Huntingdon last month, his first winner.