Sir runs Plate rivals ragged
Peter Bowen’s halcyon summer jumps campaign scaled dazzling new heights after Yes Sir hacked up in the valuable totesport.com Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.
Bowen’s gelding, who is now unbeaten in six starts this season, was given a positive ride from Tony McCoy to land the £65,000 (€95,233) prize with any amount in hand from stablemate Ballycassidy.
Yes Sir, sent off the 3-1 favourite, was quickly away in the Listed event and could have been called the winner once McCoy went about his business three out.
The race was over as a contest from then on and, despite making a rather chancy leap at the last, Bowen’s seven-year-old breezed past the line with six lengths to spare from Ballycassidy (20-1), who was in seventh before the final fence but came from the clouds to fill the runner-up berth.
Mr Fluffy ran a cracker in third, a further length and a quarter further in arrears, while Fool On The Hill stayed on for fourth.
Bowen, who also lifted the £40,000 (€58,605) totescoop6 Summer Hurdle earlier on the card, was understandably delighted with the outcome and revealed Yes Sir and Ballycassidy will renew rivalry at Newton Abbot next month.
“He (Yes Sir) is a very, very good horse and is quite well-handicapped for a novice,” reasoned the Haverfordwest-based handler, who also won the Summer National at Uttoxeter with McKelvey last month.
“It was a really good performance and he jumped so well from the start.
“That was also a good performance under top weight from Ballycassidy – he’s got to be the bravest horse in the world.
“Tony gave Yes Sir such a fine ride though – that’s why everyone wants to book him. The pair of them will now go to Newton Abbot, which should be interesting.”
McCoy was slightly more restrained in his praise for the winner and added: “He did OK and jumped adequately. He made a few novice mistakes but it’s nice to win a race like this so easily.”
Bowen had received another profitable fillip when Tycoon Hall caused an upset in the totescoop6 Summer Hurdle, which attracted a strong field featuring eight last-time-out winners and several other in-form contenders.
Although the 33-1 winner Tycoon Hall – without a victory for 13 months – did not fall into that category, Bowen’s charge showed a really willing attitude to claim the extended two-mile-one-furlong heat.
The six-year-old entire was always close to the pace and went for the kill in the hands of talented 3lb claimer Tom O’Brien before two out.
And having clinically dispatched the challenge of Portavadie, who finished third, O’Brien and his partner held off the late thrust of David Pipe’s Wee Dinns to score by a head.
“He only cost 4,200 guineas from Jessica Harrington’s yard about three weeks ago so he’s not done too badly for me has he?” smiled the winning trainer, whose wife Karen owns Tycoon Hall.
“He was rated about 100 on the Flat with Richard Hannon but lost his way a little last year.
“He’s come good here though and will go for the big hurdle race at Newton Abbot on the same day.”
Ever Special kicked on from his third-placed finish on his hurdles bow over course and distance to win the Cobelfret Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
Patrick Haslam’s Fruits Of Love gelding has taken to the jumps game with consummate ease and made virtually all under Barry Keniry to land the spoils by an eased-down length and a half from Left Hand Drive.
Openide has been ticking over nicely on the Flat but made an eye-catching return over obstacles to win the DFDC Lys-Line Handicap Hurdle at odds of 5-1.
Positive tactics from Noel Fehily reaped handsome dividends as the Brendan Duke-trained gelding bounded clear of his rivals to win with 21 lengths in hand from Harrycat.
“When he’s on his game he’s a cracking horse,” said Duke. “The good to soft is perfect for him but we might go for a two (mile) two (furlong) race at Pontefract in August now.
“That said, if there’s another race like this one we might have a look at that instead.”
Ken's Dream looks a horse for the shortlist judged by his plucky success in the Jewson Novices' Hurdle (Series Qualifier).
Lucy Wadham’s gelding showed admirable grit and a neat turn of foot when it mattered to hold off Wiggy Smith and score by a five lengths.
“He jumps hurdles for fun and we’ll hopefully go to Cheltenham for the series final of this race,” said Wadham.
Mike Sowersby’s Civil Gent (5-1) also put up a robust display to repel McCoy’s determined surge aboard Cross The Highman in the Mortons Print Novices’ Handicap Chase.
“It looks like we’ve got a really nice horse on our hands,” said Sowersby.
“It was the first time we’ve made the running and Keith (Mercer) pulled it off to perfection.”
McCoy was to go one better in the concluding Gilbert And Molly King Memorial Handicap Chase after 2-1 favourite Green Finger provided the champion jockey with a double at the Lincolnshire track.
John Quinn’s eight-year-old, second in a novice hurdle at Hexham last time out, gained a slender advantage six out but soon built up an insurmountable lead which yielded a three-and-a-half-length victory from Swallow Magic.
