Maguire bags Bangor treble
Jockey Jason Maguire proved the man to follow at Bangor – with Bannister Lane’s victory in the Anderson & Co Handicap Chase the highlight of a near 178-1 treble.
Donald McCain’s charge was sent off a 12-1 chance, having disappointed on his reappearance at Carlisle, and made most of the running in the three-mile-six-furlong marathon.
He was headed approaching the fourth fence from home but found plenty for pressure to score by two and a half lengths from New Perk.
“He’s been a while winning as last season he was running well and going up in the weights, so it’s nice he’s got his head in front,” said McCain.
“I was a little bit disappointed with him at Carlisle last time but he probably needed the race quite badly as he’s a difficult horse to deal with at home. It’s great he’s bounced back to form and that’s job done now.”
Maguire and McCain doubled up with smart bumper performer Son Of Flicka getting off the mark over obstacles in the Ruabon Mountain “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.
Again ridden prominently by Maguire, the 7-4 shot went to the front approaching the final flight and stayed on strongly along the run-in to take the spoils.
“He deserved to win as he has finished second on his last four starts and more than any other horse in the yard, I wanted him to get his head in front,” McCain added.
“He’s done nothing wrong and has just been beaten by proper horses.
“He will step up to two and a half miles at some stage but I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to be a fair horse.
“It’s strange because he actually won the same bumper as Whiteoak and has now won the same novice hurdle as her. Lets hope he turns out to be half as good.”
Maguire’s hat-trick was initiated by the Jim Old-trained Whitewater Dash, who proved far too good for his rivals in the Giles Insurance Handicap Chase.
Tony McCoy and Jonjo O’Neill combined to good effect with two winners on the afternoon.
Firth Of Forth left behind a number of disappointing efforts in the Wild Commercial Property Novices’ Chase, while stablemate The Very Man took the Alfa Aggregate Products Handicap Hurdle.
Dean Coleman guided Moorlands Teri (9-2) to victory in the concluding George Barlow Retirement Intermediate Open NH Flat Race, but the success did come at a price.
The stewards found him guilty of excessive use of the whip and suspended him for two days (December 31 and January 1).
