New kid on the block

Sarah Hobbs had a frustrating time of it at Doncaster but having motored further up the A1 to Wetherby she saw the stable’s luck change as Kornati Kid booked a trip to the Cheltenham Festival.

There was nothing between the long-time leader Will Be Done, Kornati Kid (3-1) and Poker De Sivola at the second-last fence in the Grade Two totepool Towton Novices’ Chase.

But the latter took a horrible fall from which horse and rider Richard McGrath were very fortunate to escape injury.

Will Be Done made a mistake too but was soon back on his stride, and in a stirring battle to the line it was Kornati Kid who just prevailed by a neck, although he had to survive a stewards’ inquiry having carried the runner-up right on the run-in.

Mrs Hobbs said: “We had three seconds at Doncaster and I thought it was going to be four but Kornati Kid showed a lot of courage.”

Kornati Kid is owned by Diana Whateley whose husband Grahame said: “We wanted to see how he went today and he did his stuff so he will go to Cheltenham now, but we will have to see what the boss (Philip Hobbs) says about which race he will run in.”

Donald McCain said of Will Be Done: “He jumped well apart from that mistake which Jason (Maguire) said cost him the race. He is learning all the time and I think he will go for the Powers Gold Cup at Punchestown rather than Cheltenham.”

Winning rider Tom O’Brien was banned for seven days (February 14-20 inclusive) - two days for careless riding and five for a whip offence.

He did though complete a 23-1 double with victory on Kealshore Lass (5-1) for trainer George Moore in the concluding bumper.

McCain had earlier stayed in his father Ginger’s good books when sending out Tastes Like More to win in his colours under Maguire in the European Communications Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

This was her second win from her last three starts and McCain junior joked: “He is the most difficult owner in the yard so this will help keep him happy!”

Conditional Felix De Giles, who is based with Nicky Henderson at Lambourn, makes the most of his trips to the Yorkshire course and took his score to six from only 12 rides here when completing a double on Elite Land and Heraldry, his only two mounts of the afternoon,

Elite Land, claimed out of the Kevin Ryan stable for £7,000 at Southwell in December, got his head in front in the TurfTV Handicap Hurdle on his second outing for trainer Brian Ellison, who explained: “He won three on the Flat for Kevin, who also owned him, last season and I rang him up and asked him if he wanted to keep him and he said I could have him.

“On his first run for us, at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, he hit the front too soon and that is why Felix only sent him into the lead on the run-in today.”

Trainer Pat Haslam’s wife Anne could hardly have been more pleased as she watched Heraldry return to winning form in the totescoop6 Millionaire Maker Handicap Hurdle.

He had 11 lengths to spare and Mrs Haslam said: “I am really chuffed, he has had his problems, but he did not have too much weight, he loves the ground, the trip was right and he was as well as we have had him for a long time.

“But he had cotton wool in his ears for the first time and that has made a difference too.”

Daldini, one of two horses Sue Smith trains for Paul Dixon, gained a well-deserved success in the hands of Tjade Collier in the totescoop8 Record Rollover Handicap Chase.

Dixon, chairman of the Racehorse Owners Association, said: “He has been running well so we thought we would give him a try over two and a half miles and he has done it well on ground he doesn’t really like.”