Promising debut for Villon

Villon made the best possible start to his chasing career with success in the St Modwen Properties Beginners’ Chase at Uttoxeter.

Len Lungo’s six-year-old was making his seasonal bow in the two-mile event and he was always travelling well under Tony Dobbin.

Although his jumping was safe and economical rather than spectacular, the 7-2 shot led after the second last and just had to repel the late rally of Roman Ark to win by six lengths.

Villon, winner of two hurdles and two bumpers, was beaten only once last season at the Cheltenham Festival when Lungo believes the good ground went against his charge.

The trainer said: “He wants soft ground and has been ready to run for a while but in the end we have had to come and pitch him in at the deep end.

“He has not been a complete natural over fences but he has done a lot of schooling and I must say that Bruce Gibson, who rides him all the time, has done a great job with him at home – they have jumped a lot of big poles.”

Lungo has no immediate plans for Villon but he has no fears of running him at any of the major tracks if conditions are right.

He added: “We have no plans about going to Cheltenham because nine times out of 10 the ground is more designed for Flat horses than jump horses.

“I think he will be effective from two to two-and-a-half miles, he has too many gears for us to have to go three miles.”

Dobbin added: “He is very keen at home. He takes a bit of schooling at home and he was a bit novicey but the experience will have done him good.”

Roman Ark’s rider Fergus King who has been troubled by a shoulder problem for much of the year, was in some pain after the race.

The gelding’s trainer Malcolm Jefferson said: “Hopefully he has just tweaked a muscle, we will have to see.

“I was pleased with Roman Ark, he likes sloppy ground and maybe a longer trip will suit. The race should have done him good.”

Ginger McCain stunned punters by sending out 50-1 chance Balmoral Queen to lift the Racing Post “Hands and Heels” Jump Series Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Gerald Tumelty, who is based with Alan King, sent Balmoral Queen to the front approaching the third last, and though pestered by Before The Mast from that point, she drew away to score by eight lengths from Prairie Law.

McCain said: “It is not a great surprise. We knew she had ability and I am pleased for her owner Harry Maan as he bred her.

“She ran well in a bumper on her first run, but she then had a series of misfortunes and Mr Maan was going to sell her so it is nice he has kept her.

“Gerald was having his first ride for us, and he rode her very well.”

McCain was notching his 15th winner of the season and he added: “We had hoped for 12 winners before Christmas, so things have gone pretty well and hopefully we can keep it up.”

Favourite backers had been out of luck in the opener but they were on good terms with themselves when 5-4 market leader Vingis Park landed the Heathyards Engineering Novices’ Hurdle.

Jack Doyle took the winner to the front for the second time at the penultimate flight, and clearly not inconvenienced by the heavy ground, Vingis Park kept on to win with eight lengths to spare over Izzyizzenty.

Winning trainer Victor Dartnall was represented by his brother Gerald, who said: “He has turned in to a right little battler. I think a wind op has helped and he seems to go on any ground.

”Jack can do 9st 7lb and is a very good lad. He is from Tipperary and is still in school – we pick him up off the plane in his shorts!”

Lee Mack, host of the TV show They Think It’s All Over, had his first taste of success as an owner when Livingonaknifedge (16-1) showed the way home under conditional Paul O’Neill in the Peter J Douglas Maiden Hurdle.

Trainer Ian Williams feared Livingonaknifedge would not like the ground but he was another to handle it well and having gained the advantage three out, went on to beat the 4-5 favourite Magnesium by six lengths.

Mack is one of three part-owners of Livingonaknifedge, and Williams said: “This is Lee’s first runner and his first winner so he will be pleased.

“We were not sure if he would like the ground, but he jumped well enough and galloped all the way to the line, but he will be more of a chaser.

“When they handle this sort of ground, you can have a lot of fun with them through the winter months.”

In-form trainer Richard Philips struck again with debutant Baron Romeo (6-1) in the closing Robert Taylor On Behalf Of cdc-limited.co.uk NH Flat Race.

Leading three furlongs from home, the winning point-to-pointer ran very green but responded gamely to the urgings of promising conditional Sean Quinlan to hold Kealshore Lad by half a length.

Michael O’Connell fell foul of the stewards with his ride on the unplaced Infini in the David Fitzgerald Memorial Handicap Hurdle, won by Moustique de L’Isle (13-2).

The 10lb-claimer was found guilty of failing to pull up an exhausted horse and banned for three days (December 27-29).