Palace leaves it late

Caesar’s Palace put up an astonishing performance to win the Orangina Handicap Hurdle at Ayr for Kinross trainer Lucinda Russell.

The top-weight was backed into 5-1 favourite from 13-2, but was available at 99-1 in-running on Betfair at one stage with his prospects of success looking remote as he trailed the field some 10 lengths adrift of the main group.

He did not even begin to improve his position going down the back for the final time in the extended-three-mile test.

But Peter Buchanan never gave up despite being 20 lengths drift of leader Moon Mist entering the home straight.

His perseverance paid off as the nine-year-old consented to put his best foot forward and he reeled in Moon Mist in the shadow of the post to land a dramatic one-length victory.

The exhausted rider said: “When we bypassed three out I saw the leaders weren’t actually completely gone and he was just starting to run then.

“He passed one or two in the straight and he was really starting to motor and I knew he had a chance of winning.”

Russell, who along with Buchanan was completing a 53-1 double, said: “That was quite amazing because when he missed the break I thought that was it.”

Russell had ended a losing run stretching back 74 days when she saddled Master Sebastian to win the Irn Bru Handicap Chase earlier on the card.

Buchanan hit the front five fences from home and the 8-1 shot stayed on gamely to keep King Barry at bay by a neck.

“It was nice not to come second for a change,” Miss Russell said.

“For a novice this horse jumped really well. He stayed really well and will improve for that.

“We were running out of options for him. It was a case of running him in this race or the beginners’ chase here tomorrow, but he was so wrong at the weights in that.

“The handicapper (Phil Smith) told me to run in the handicap.

“I phoned him up and said to him ’what am I going to do with this horse?’ and he came up with this race and a race at Bangor.”

Master Sebastian was bred by Kariana Key, who also got on the scoreboard as a trainer when she sent out Merryvale Man to win the Barr Handicap Hurdle.

Calfraz stunned the Bank Holiday crowd with a 100-1 victory in the opening race.

Punters completely ignored Micky Hammond’s charge as they plunged on the Nicky Richards-trained Clueless in the Phenomenal Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

The latter went off at 2-5 but was struggling to keep tabs on the front-running Lankawi when he blundered his chance away three from home.

In contrast Calfraz had made relentless headway to move into contention and keeping up the momentum, Barry Keniry’s mount led on the run-in to beat Lankawi by two and a half lengths.

“Was he really 100-1?” said a rather surprised Hammond.

“He’s progressed with his racing over hurdles. He likes this soft ground - that’s the key.

“The gallop they went suited him. They’ve gone a good, even gallop over the two miles.”

Favourite backers had better luck half an hour later when 2-1 shot Brandy Wine outstayed his rivals in the Findlays Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Tony Dobbin led with just over one of the three miles, one furlong to go on Len Lungo’s runner and galloping on resolutely the market leader, sporting blinkers for the first time, came home eight lengths clear of See You There.

“He just stays forever and conditions were in his favour today with the sticky ground,” Lungo said.

“They went a bit quick early and they all finished very tired which helped us because we stay forever.

“I tried the blinkers because I thought he might travel a bit better for them and I think he did.”

Dobbin went on to complete a 5-1 double and bring about a change of luck for Richards when he booted even-money favourite According To John home in the Tizer “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.

But it was not all plain sailing for the winner, who had to be strongly ridden to take the lead at the penultimate flight. Dobbin then had to keep him up to his work to hold off Morgan Be by a length and a half.

“He’s a tough sort of horse and Dobbs said he wasn’t really enjoying the ground,” said Richards.

“He hasn’t had a lot of racing and he’s a bit green.

“We won’t have any fancy ideas. Whatever we get over hurdles is a bonus because he jumps well and he’s a big, likeable sort of horse.”

Habitual Dancer adopted his customary front-running role in the Diet Irn Bru Handicap but he looked beaten when headed going to the far side for the final time.

He was outpaced on the turn in but he rallied gamely for Brian Harding to collar the leader, Carapuce, on the run-in and land the spoils by three-quarters of a length.

Trainer Jedd O’Keeffe said: “He was a fair juvenile last year and if they are like that they often find it quite hard in their second season.

“I think he’s maybe found his level and he will get further. Brian said it’s time to step him up to two six or three miles.”