Ustedes stakes Arkle claim
Voy Por Ustedes emerged as a live candidate for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival in March after he made it two wins from as many starts over fences at Plumpton.
The four-year-old justified 6-4 favouritism in the feature coralcasino.com Novices’ Chase, taking up the running after two out and putting in a fine leap at the last before denying My World by five lengths, with Big Moment a further eight lengths adrift in third.
“I was very pleased with him and it all went very smoothly,” said trainer Alan King. “I was delighted that he stepped up and is two from two now.
“I will give him a little bit of time and look for something a touch better, although I am not sure where he will go next.
“I do hope he will develop into an Arkle horse though.”
Fleet Street, third behind Brave Inca in the 2004 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, was unable to make a winning comeback after a 619-day absence, jumping right the whole way and ploughing through the fourth-last.
Josear was a very easy winner at 7-2 of the opening Carole & Roy Reeve 40th Anniversary Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle, coming home 18 lengths ahead of Dance Hall Diva under Shane Walsh.
Laconicos was a further 20 lengths back in third.
Winning trainer Chris Down said: “I always thought this horse wanted it firm. I have never known a three-year-old handle his racing like this fellow and I’ll keep running him while he copes with it.”
Patrick Merrigan was taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital at Brighton for X-rays on an ankle after his mount Satin Rose fell at the last.
What A Vintage was another 7-2 winner on her hurdling debut, leading two out for Richard Johnson to beat Double Dizzy by six lengths, with favourite Something Wells half a length away in third.
“Anthony Bromley and I bought this horse off Oliver Sherwood and she came well-recommended by him,” said winning trainer Richard Phillips.
“That was a nice debut and depending how she comes out of it, we may go for a Warwick qualifier at the end of the month for the mares’ final at Newbury in March.”
The Sam Thomas-ridden Mon Mome (9-2) defied top-weight in the Barry Davies Memorial Handicap Chase by six lengths to Infrasonique.
The five-year-old was running over almost 10 furlongs further than when second last time.
Williams and Thomas picked up a quick double in the coralpoker.com Handicap Chase courtesy of 4-5 favourite Jolly Boy, who was completing a four-timer in just 13 days.
The six-year-old again defied the handicapper by eight lengths to Minat Boy, with Sitting Duck filling the frame.
Graham Skeats, representing owners Favourites Racing, commented: “He’s done it again nicely, but obviously the handicapper will catch up with him. He’s in at Windsor on Friday and he’d run off the same mark and it is always tempting to run again, though he’s had a lot of racing of late.”
Ben Hitchcott and Linda Jewell took the concluding coralpoker.com Handicap Hurdle with Silistra (12-1), who came home a head in front of Amnesty, with Carly Bay four lengths back in third.
Winning connections had a nervous wait while the stewards held an inquiry into possible interference between the first two but the placings remained unaltered.
However, Jamie Moore, rider of the runner-up, was stood down for one day on Tuesday, January 13, for using his whip with excessive frequency from the last.
