Poignant success for Smith

There were emotional scenes at Haydock after Sue Smith’s Sharp Belline gamely took the honours in the Pontin’s-sponsored The Last Fling Chase.

Named in honour of the ill-fated course specialist, who was owned by local businessman Trevor Hemmings and trained by Smith, the tiny nine-year-old made nearly all in the three-mile contest.

Ridden by David O’Meara, the Robbelino gelding had lost his form at the end of last season, but a win at Southwell on his last start had signalled a return to his best.

Despite looking like a pony next to the enormous favourite, the Paul Nicholls-trained Nirvana Swing, ironically running in the colours of Hemmings, Sharp Belline was clearly enjoying himself in the testing conditions and fought off all-comers every time a challenger emerged.

King Bee, also owned by Hemmings, The Outlier and Blunham Hill all served it up to Sharp Beline but despite a slight scare after the last when The Outlier (15-2) looked a real danger, he pulled out more for a two-length success at 11-1.

The stewards ordered Nirvana Swing to be routinely tested after he pulled up three out.

“What a smashing little horse,” beamed Smith.

“He’s such a sweetie as well, it’s great to win a race like this with him.

“The Last Fling was a favourite of ours and he had such a good record around here.

“He won the De Vere Gold Cup, the Edward Hamner, the Peter Marsh and was second in the Tommy Whittle all in the same season (1999-2000) for us here, so it’s great to win his race.

“It might look as if it was a masterplan, but it really wasn’t. There were no other options for him, but it was wonderful to watch him jumping those big fences.”

Donald McCain and Stephen Craine starred on the rest of the card with a 35-1 double thanks to Mohayer and Chickapeakray.

The former, a 5-1 chance, had won a weaker race on his last start at Sedgefield but was always travelling like the winner in the EBF Lizzie Watkins Memorial ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle and had five lengths in hand at the line.

Westgate (25-1), who was around 20 lengths clear down the backstraight, stuck on gamely for second, just holding off 6-4 favourite Ship’s Hill by half a length.

However, Craine was handed a one-day ban (January 10) by the stewards for using his whip above shoulder height.

“He’s the sort of horse who will keep on improving,” said the trainer’s assistant, his father, Ginger.

“He had a wind problem last season, but we’ve had that sorted and he is in good form now.

Chickapeakray (5-1) was winning her third race of the season and after defying top-weight in the extremely testing conditions, it will be a surprise if she does not score again this season.

Racing over just short of three miles, she relished the conditions and ran out a comfortable eight-length winner from 3-1 favourite Clemax.

“It’s great that she keeps on improving,” said McCain senior.

“We must have paid a fortune for her mother – all of £500! This is her first foal and she’s now gone and won six.

“She really is a grand mare. I’m tickled pink – to have two winners at your local track, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

David Wintle’s Go For One made it two from two over regulation fences with a hard-fought success in the R Draper Ltd 60th Anniversary Novices’ Handicap Chase.

The 4-1 chance jumped boldly throughout for Warren Marston and despite the attentions of late gamble William Butler (12-1) up the straight, he ran out a ready two-and-a-half-length winner.

Just like his namesake in Australia, the favourite Flintoff struggled and was a never-nearer third.

Marston was handed a one-day ban (January 10) for using his whip with excessive frequency, as was Paul O’Neill on Flintoff, who will miss the same day.

“He’s a nice horse,” said a clearly delighted Wintle.

“He wants three miles really, but the ground is that soft two and a half was fine today.

“The ground is important to him, though.”

The Kop End (9-1) will have lined the pockets of the local Merseysiders after benefiting from a canny ride by Timmy Murphy.

Jonjo O’Neill’s eight-year-old had been winless for nearly three years since scoring in a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick, but Murphy worked the oracle.

Steering a wide course throughout in search of slightly better ground, he finished three and a half lengths in front of the well-fancied Sunisa (9-4).