Dobbin sparkles at Ayr

Tony Dobbin stole the show at Ayr with a four-timer courtesy of Rasharrow, Silver Jack, Monet’s Garden and Programme Girl

The former, winner of two of his three bumpers, had impressed on his jumping debut at Kelso and was a 1-5 chance to double up in the Alan Mackay Insurance Introductory Novices’ Hurdle.

But he made somewhat harder work of it than was expected in running out a one-and-a-quarter-length winner of the two-mile test.

He was made to pull out all the stops by 100-1 chance First Look, twice a winner on the Flat in Germany, although winning trainer Len Lungo said: “Tony said the horse settled better and jumped well and he will have learned a lot from that.

“I think the second could be a very good horse, they came 19 lengths clear of the third, though I do think our fellow would prefer quicker ground than this soft ground and that could determine where we go next.

“There are several options, including a race at Wetherby, and we would not be afraid of going down south if the ground was right.”

Half an hour later Dobbin struck again when Martin Todhunter’s Silver Jack defied top weight in the Roger Dyson Recovery Novices’ Handicap Chase, passing the post with 21 lengths to spare over Mounthooley.

Todhunter said of the 2-1 favourite: “He jumped very well apart from hitting the second and he has done it well.”

Monet’s Garden has some high-class form over hurdles and proved far too good for his rivals on his eagerly-awaited debut over fences in the Famous Grouse Novices’ Chase.

The Nicky Richards-trained grey (2-5) ran out a nine-length winner over Darkness, who himself had been successful on his chasing bow at Uttoxeter.

“He can fiddle a fence or eat one,” Richards said.

“I said to ’Dobbs’ should we go south or look for something in the north again so we will have to see, but he has a great engine and hopefully he will go on from this now.”

Dobbin and Richards were in opposition in the bumper and the former came out the better, getting the Alan Swinbank-trained debutante Programme Girl (3-1) home in front of the apparently well-fancied Greystoke challenger Modicum.

Harry Hogarth, who has recently installed a six-furlong all-weather gallop at his North Yorkshire base, was on the mark when the improving Encore Cadoudal won the Ayrshire Extra Handicap Chase in the hands of David O’Meara.

Hogarth said: “We have 15 horses in this time, more than we have ever done and we needed an all-weather gallop of our own, though we still take our horses to work at Tim Easterby’s now and again.”

Longstone Lass (12-1) was raised 7lb for her Sedgefield success but Tracey Waggott coaxed enough improvement for her to double up in the hands of Claire Metcalfe in the Iveco Handicap Hurdle.

Aston Lad (8-1) matched Silver Jack’s feat when he gave weight and a beating to his eight rivals under a good ride from Barry Keniry in the Famous Grouse Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The four-year-old was slightly hampered at the second-last flight but rallied gamely to get up and catch Flaming Heck in the last strides and score by a short head.

Winning trainer Micky Hammond said: “He was unlucky last season at Hexham, he rapped a hurdle and hurt his near-fore shin and was pulled on the run-in when he looked like winning – we were not able to ride him out for a couple of weeks.

“He did well to carry a big weight in that ground, and he will jump a fence.”