Ridge prompts big-race dreams
Wild Cane Ridge looked a classy recruit to the novice chasing ranks with his impressive debut victory over fences at Newcastle on Friday.
The Len Lungo-trained grey was a useful novice hurdler last season, winning three of his five starts.
He appears to have transferred his ability to the larger obstacles judged on his eight-length verdict over Eskimo Pie in the IBM Totalstorage Beginners’ Chase, a success which left connections dreaming of big-race glory.
“He’s a stayer and I think he’ll get four miles eventually and I’d like to think he’d make up into a Scottish National or even a Grand National horse. He’s that type of stayer,” Lungo said.
The 4-6 winner was ridden by Graham Lee, who deputised for Tony Dobbin who was still recovering from a heavy fall at Taunton on Thursday.
The Carrutherstown-based handler continued: “Graham said he got very close to the first and hit it a bit but was foot perfect after that.
“He was trying to keep hold of him and teach him and get him in close to one or two but when he did see a long one he asked him and he came up.
“He kept up quite a good rhythm and I’m pleased with that. He’s been given a great ride and it was a lovely bit of education.”
Devondale, an impressive winner at Hexham last week, followed up with another bold-jumping display under PJ McDonald in the Cellular Solutions Handicap Chase.
“This horse is due to go up 10lb so with PJ’s claim he was 17lb better in. It was a case of job done,” said Murphy.
Patxaran got favourite backers off to a winning start in the IBM & Lenovo Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
The 2-1 market leader was given a good ride by promising conditional Robert Stephens to nail Toss The Caber close home and land the money by a neck.
After dismounting from the Patrick Haslam-trained filly, Stephens said: “I was always confident I’d get there even though we hit the last and lost half a length.”
Ballyfiz battled on bravely to take the ITPS 5th Birthday Novices’ Hurdle by a length from the well-backed 6-4 favourite New Alco.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained winner looked beaten when the market leader went on after three out but the 13-2 chance rallied strongly for Marc Goldstein to regain the advantage halfway up the run-in.
Local trainer Bob Johnson got on the scoresheet for only the second time this season when he saddled Piraeus to win the O2 Handicap Hurdle.
Oso Magic (6-4 favourite) sent punters home happy with an easy victory in the Nokia “Connecting People” Handicap Chase.
