No mistakes from Senorita
Senorita Rumbalita avoided the last-fence drama of her hurdling debut to keep backers warm in the cold at Folkestone.
Having unseated her rider when clear at Wincanton 12 days earlier, connections were keen to avoid a repeat as she was sent off at 2-7 to take the EBF Daily Mail ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.
The top-flight bumper performer travelled strongly into the home straight with Liathroidisneachta in her slipstream.
But asked to quicken up, she pulled right away from her rivals on the run to the last and pinged over it to score by 14 lengths.
“We will keep it low-key for the time being but the time will come when she has to be stepped up to something better,” said winning trainer Alan King.
Jockey Club director John Maxse, one of the 14-strong ’Ready to Rumble’ partnership that own the winner, was relieved to avoid any further heartache.
“Luckily she didn’t realise how much pressure we were feeling today,” he said. “She was cooler than any of us today – she has a fantastic temperament at all times.
“I’ve been lucky enough to ride her myself three or four times and she has amazing gears. You’d think you were on a Flat horse rather than a jumper.”
king and Thornton completed a double when Ben’s Turn (9-4) took the closing Daily Mail Mares’ Only Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race
Ben Hitchcott was left with a bloody nose and a dent to his pride after his mount Elfkirk threw victory away in the Daily Mail Mares’ Only Beginners’ Chase.
The well-fancied 4-1 chance had gradually started to jump left going down the back straight for the final time but Hitchcott’s mount was still going well enough in front, clear of her rivals.
But coming to the final fence 12 lengths clear of her nearest pursuer, the Steve Gollings-trained Sunny South East (8-1), Elfkirk ran right down the fence to her left and crashed through the plastic wing, leaving that rival to come home three lengths ahead of Glenogue.
“She had been getting gradually worse but it wasn’t that bad until the last,” said a rueful Hitchcott.
“She can get away with it over hurdles here because to the left of the flight is the running rail which helps to keep her straight.
“She’ll win races going the other way round.”
Presenting Express kept favourite-backers in front when rallying to take the Daily Mail Novices’ Handicap Chase under Barry Fenton.
The Emma Lavelle-trained 5-2 chance was headed on the home turn and looked in trouble as Lizzie Bathwick nipped to the front around the inside.
But galvanised into action by Fenton, the winner regained the lead on the run-in and stayed on to score by a length and a half.
“I think he was probably keeping a bit for himself until the other horse went past him but he had a good heave down the back straight and he might well still have needed this,” said Lavelle.
“He really wants three miles and a stiffer track too.”
Epsom trainer Jim Boyle suffered a blow a month ago when his stable’s hurdling strength was halved when Barking Mad was claimed after winning at Plumpton.
But his remaining jumper, Paddy Boy, put a smile back on Boyle’s face when taking the opening Daily Mail Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
The lightly-raced four-year-old appreciated being dropped to a very lowly level and survived some slightly hairy leaps to score at 16-1 under Steven Craine, beating Mistified by three lengths.
“We weren’t getting anywhere on the Flat with him so we tried him over hurdles and this was probably his first realistic chance,” said Boyle of the 16-1 winner.
“Steven gave him a good ride when he rode him last season and I am pleased to have been able to give him a winner as he is a nice chap and a very capable jockey.”
Pardon What came from a long way off the pace to take the Daily Mail Handicap Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles.
The Shaun Lycett-trained 9-1 chance took the home turn back in eighth place and seemingly well beaten.
But as the leaders started to tire in the conditions, Keith Mercer weaved his way through the pack to give the trainer his fourth success of the campaign.
Muttley Maguire, named by owners Trevor and Jean Bishop after the weighing-room nickname of jockey-turned-trainer Adrian Maguire, showed all of the battling spirit of his namesake when taking the Daily Mail Handicap Chase under Timmy Murphy.
Challenged by favourite Majestic Moonbeam over the final fence, the 5-1 winner pulled out more on the run-in to win by two and a half lengths.
“He slipped early on and was jumping and travelling badly when he was well beaten at Cheltenham last time – the only time he has ever finished out of the first three,” said Powell.
“Timmy sensibly looked after him then and he was able to come back to form today. He saw the trip out well.
“Adrian has already been on the phone to me. I was able to tease him because he had a runner for the Bishops yesterday which got beaten so I am their number one trainer now!”
