Buckler hitting dizzy heights
Double Dizzy highlighted the resurgent form of Bob Buckler and put himself in line for a possible trip to the Punchestown Festival when landing the odds at Taunton.
The 6-4 favourite jumped the last almost a fence in front under Daryl Jacob and coasted across the line to take the Tincknell Mitsubishi Outlander Beginners’ Chase with the minimum of fuss.
Buckler said: “We had a quiet few months with a bug in the yard, but they are coming right now and running their races as they should be.
“He is a big horse, who is just starting to strengthen up and he does like testing ground.
“I trained his mother, Miss Diskin, to win at Punchestown and he might go out there too.”
Magnifico had failed to complete on his previous three outings but Karen Waldron’s seven-year-old came good in The Farmers Inn At Higher West Hatch Handicap Hurdle.
Owner Nick Shutts had fancied the mount of James White last time out at Huntingdon only for his charge to pull up for the second successive occasion.
However, granted an easy time of it out in front, the 14-1 chance bowled along and drew further and further clear from the third-last to pass the post with 18 lengths in hand.
Shutts said: “I backed him, but the money was on him properly last time when he was pulled up.”
Quinte Du Chatelet made the most of a depleted field to collect at the first time of asking in the St Patrick’s Day Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
Only four runners went to post but the quartet was quickly reduced to a duo as Arabellas Homer crashed out at the fourth flight, while the 4-9 favourite I Predict A Riot was pulled up shortly after.
That left Tom Scudamore clear to school round aboard the David Pipe-trained 3-1 chance who scored by 24 lengths.
Pipe said: “We had a lot of luck, but it is great for his local owners Garth and Anne Brown as it is their first winner.”
Victor Dartnall mopped up the final two races, with Young Dancer sparking his brace in the Shamrock Handicap Chase.
Jack Doyle was aboard the 10-year-old who has been brought out of retirement and collared the tired Mighty Moose before the last to score by 21 lengths.
Dartnall said: “He was my hack, but we brought him back into training as he was working so well.”
Doyle then enjoyed an armchair ride as 11-10 favourite Darstardly Dick rewarded market support in the Leprechaun Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Tambourine Ridge (2-1) coped with the heavy ground best of all and banished her recent run to history in the Sweet Molly Malone Mares Only Novices’ Hurdle.
