Miko makes his mark
Miko De Beauchene marked himself out as a promising performer for the future with an impressive success at Lingfield.
The five-year-old opened his account at the ninth time of asking in the two-mile-seven-furlong ROR Second Career For Racehorses Handicap Hurdle.
Andrew Thornton settled in Miko De Beauchene before pulling clear on the Flat and he had the field well strung out coming home seven lengths clear of Jaloux D’Estruval.
Good Potential was a further 11 lengths away in third and trainer Robert Alner is expecting even better when Miko De Beauchene eventually tackles fences.
He said: “I have been schooling him over fences as he is such a nice stamp of a horse, but I would really like to wait a little longer to send him over the big ones.”
Miko De Beauchene’s success at 5-1 was the second leg of a 32-1 double for Thornton who had earlier enjoyed a facile success aboard Precious Bane in the Oxted Veterinary Clinic Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The seven-year-old, who had been running well in point-to-points in the spring, made every yard of the running for Thornton and was almost 25 lengths clear at one point.
Although he started to tire a little in the straight, the well-supported 9-2 chance scored by 16 lengths from Dunbrody Millar, with Five Alley a further length and a half away in third.
Trainer Matt Sheppard thought the testing ground brought about the improvement in form from his runner.
He said: “Yes, he was backed. They must have taken the hint from the newspapers. And he’ll win again too if he gets another low-grade race in the mud.”
Haafel was not the most fancied of the four runners for the Greatwood Rescue and Rehabilitation Chase but he made short work of his rivals in the two-mile event.
Sent off a 7-2 shot, the well-bred gelding jousted for the lead at the top of the hill with favourite Tanikos, but gradually gained the ascendancy entering the straight.
A good jump at the final obstacle for jockey Philip Hide sealed a length-and-a-half victory over the market leader.
Winning trainer Gary Moore said: “He was bred well enough to win a Derby.
“The ground was the most desperate he has run on and seeing that he was brought down at Plumpton last time, he handled it well.”
Heltornic made amends for a costly mistake on her debut when lifting the Support Retraining of Racehorses Mares’ Only Novices’ Hurdle.
The Michael Scudamore-trained mare had fallen when in the lead at Uttoxeter last time but she made no such mistake in this two-mile-seven-furlong event.
Heltornic, sent off the 4-9 favourite under the trainer’s grandson Tom, set out to make all and did just that, holding Amber Starlight by an easy length and three-quarters at the line.
The testing conditions proved no problem for the seven-year-old and although she was a bit sloppy at a couple of flights, she was never in trouble.
Scudamore jnr said: “All I can say is that she is a lovely filly.”
Fleurette (7-2) gained some compensation for a short-head defeat at Chepstow last time with a game success in the EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.
The Alfora mare was making a quick reappearance just seven days after that run and she had to give her all for Tom Doyle to record a short-head victory over It’s In The Stars, with Cruising Clyde a distant 17-length third.
Trainer David Gandolfo said: “She is very genuine but is screaming out for fences.
“I might think about going for the mares’ only series which has its final at Newbury – it just might suit her, but she’ll have a bit of a break now after two races in a week.”
Steve Gollings was on the mark as popular veteran Lanmire Tower lifted the Owners Support Retraining of Racehorses Amateur Riders’ Handicap.
Freteval, the 9-4 joint-favourite, blundered away his chances when crashing through a fence on the far side, unshipping rider Paul Cowley in the process.
That left Lanmire Tower to take it up at the third-last fence and Trevor Woodside got a good response from the 11-1 chance in a tight finish.
Gollings said: “The horse will have a break now as he finished third at Market Rasen on Sunday.”
The closing Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race was won with a flourish by Paul Nicholls’ Swaythe (5-1).
The filly, partnered by James Davies, was six lengths clear of Flyingwithoutwings at the line, with Katy Jones a length and a half behind in third.
