Eustace in the money
James Eustace advertised his talents as a dual-purpose trainer when At The Money held on grimly from Court Ruler in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Handicap Hurdle.
Through the summer Eustace has been present at all the major Flat meetings with his unlucky sprinter War Artist, but he again showed he is no mug at preparing horses for the winter game.
“He really did deserve it because he’s very genuine both on the Flat and over hurdles and he gets very little respite from the handicapper,” said Eustace.
“He’s still only five so could have a bit more to offer. It was two-six and he stayed every yard so if we step him up to three miles he may improve again.
“He was headed on the run-in but he is very brave. I was delighted with him.
“We are in no rush to send him over fences because he wasn’t a natural jumper when he first started, but he is much better now.
“There is plenty of time to decide that and Mark (Bradburne) has always said he would take to it.
“We’ve got half a dozen jumpers in and it’s great fun.”
Donald McCain saddled a 79-1 double with Will Be Done and Corlande.
And that was not all as McCain was also on the mark with Romping Home at Wincanton.
Will Be Done (17-2) was expected to have a tough task in the Batemans Good Honest Ales Beginners’ Chase up against Ferdy Murphy’s Nine De Sivola.
Murphy’s seven-year-old had finished second in both the Scottish and Irish Grand Nationals in 2007 and had also finished well in front of Will Be Done at Carlisle earlier this month.
However, sent to the front early on by Brian Harding, the chestnut jumped for fun at the head of affairs – bar a mistake at the last – and held on to beat the 11-8 favourite by two lengths.
“He had run a couple of nice races at Carlisle but wasn’t quite getting home so we decided to drop him in trip on a flat track and obviously it has worked,” said McCain.
“He’s a big horse and it was a nice performance, he’s going the right way.
“Where we go next will depend on what the handicapper does. He has only beaten a four-mile maiden chaser but he does have a high rating so I hope he doesn’t get carried away.”
McCain’s eight-year-old Corlande was revitalised by first-time blinkers in the Langleys Solicitors Handicap Chase.
The 15-2 chance had struggled at the hands of the handicapper since a victory at Kelso in January but having been dropped a few pounds and back in the hands of Graham Lee, who won on him in Scotland, he raced much more keenly.
Jonjo O’Neill’s Money Point was the challenger over the final few fences but the gap had grown to seven lengths at the line.
“The blinkers made a huge difference. We tried to ride him with a little bit of patience last time but he half gave up down the back,” said McCain.
“So we went back to two and a half miles, put the blinkers on and he has won at Market Rasen before – it was a grand performance, he galloped all he way to the line.
“I’m delighted really because he’s a grand little horse and a lot of fun to have around and he’s a pleasure to train so it’s nice that he’s won again.”
Howard Johnson and Denis O’Regan continued their amazing run of form this week with the victory of Whiskey Magic (11-2) in the Hallgartendruitt Wines ’National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.
