Kealshore Boy wins Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle

Graham Wylie saw his colours carried to victory for the 33rd time this season as Kealshore Boy gained his first jumping success in the Parklands Golf Club Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle.

Now trained by Howard Johnson, the five-year-old won two of his three bumper races for George Moore before being sold to Wylie and his wife Andrea for 290,000 guineas, and this was his third appearance for them.

He went on at the third flight and made the rest of the running to score by a very comfortable 11 lengths from Description.

Wylie said: "His first two runs for us were not very good so it is nice to see him regain his confidence.

"It was not the intention to go on so soon, but Wilson (Renwick) said it was a slow pace so he let him go.

"He will come on for that and he may have been entered for something at Cheltenham, although I am not sure what Howard will want to do with him."

Looking forward to Friday and Saturday, he went on: "We hope to get Tidal Bay out this weekend somewhere, we would like to get one more run into him before Cheltenham, but again I am not sure which race Howard will want to run him in there."

David O'Meara gave the mercurial Woodview an enterprising ride to run out a wide-margin 20-1 winner of an eventful Saltwell Signs Handicap Chase.

O'Meara sent the Richard Ford-trained nine-year-old into the lead approaching the third fence and with the only threat Deuteronomy falling when staying on at the third-last, he kept up the gallop to pass the post with 20 lengths to spare over Sound Of Cheers.

Ford was represented by his wife Carrie, who said: "You expect anything with Woodview, he has lost more jockeys going to the start than in a race!"

Malcolm Jefferson was at the Doncaster Sales but his team was in good hands and he sent out his first winner for Trevor Hemmings when 5-2 favourite Cadoudalas completed a double - initiated by Tom's Toybox - for him and stable jockey Fergus King.

Cadoudalas (5-2 favourite) had found just one too good for him on his two previous appearances for Jefferson and battled on in the gamest fashion to get the better of Mr Barnacle by a head.

King said: "This is the first season we have had horses for Mr Hemmings, we have four in all and it is great to have our first winner for him."

In contrast Tom's Toybox (9-2), who carries the colours of long-time stable patron Richard Collins, ran out a 14-length winner of the Bushmills Irish Whiskey Novices' Handicap Chase.

Collins said: "The blinkers (for the first time) sharpened him up, he has been a bit green and they helped him concentrate. He wants this better ground."

Steven Gagan, who joined the Sue Smith stable six months ago, rode his first winner for nearly two years and his first for the Bingley trainer when rallying 17-2 chance Alfabet Souk on the run-in to get the better of favourite Our Jim in the saltwellsigns.co.uk Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

Ryan Mania was suspended for one day (February 10) for using his whip when out of contention on ninth-placed Billsgrey.

Crackadee, owned and trained under permit at Belford, Northumberland, by Rhona Brewis and a course and distance winner last season, found his form again under Brian Harding in the NCFE Qualifications Handicap Chase.

Brewis said of the 17-2 chance: "That was not expected!

"He is prone to pulling muscles, he does not know his own strength on the gallops. I was going to run him two weeks ago, but I am glad I didn't because it turned out there was something wrong with him.

"Fortunately we have a very good 'back man' who got him right again with laser treatment and Brian gave him a great ride."

Alan Swinbank looks to have another potentially useful individual in his care in the shape of Touch Of Irish, who ran away with the concluding bumper in the hands of Dougie Costello at odds of 11-2.

The Melsonby trainer said: "He was very weak last year, but he did finish fourth to Kealshore Boy at Kelso.

"I have had him on the go for a long time and it has taken him a long time to come right, but he just blossomed in the last five or six weeks. He is good."