Pipe enjoys a Haydock double
Martin Pipe may have announced his retirement from the training ranks but he still managed to add another two big winners to his record thanks to Acambo and Westender at Haydock.
The 15-times champion shocked the racing world last weekend when he announced his son David would be taking over the reins at Pond House.
Pipe junior is still waiting for the authorities to rubber-stamp his application, however, and so his father’s name remains on the licence for the time being.
But sadly for Timmy Murphy he missed the ride on Acambo in the feature race of the day, the Betfred Swinton Handicap Hurdle, after a crashing fall from Classified in Westender’s race.
Andrew Glassonbury stepped in on the David Johnson-owned gelding, who took it up moving best of all coming to the last.
The 16-1 chance scooted clear on the run to the line to score by one and a half lengths from Jessica Harrington’s Challow Lake (15-2).
Saif Sareea was a further six lengths back in third, with Emmpat fourth.
“Dad said he’s changed his mind. He’s leading this year’s championship and so he’s coming back!” joked Pipe.
“It was a fantastic performance. It was a shame Timmy wasn’t on him but we hope he’s alright. Andrew’s given him a good ride and he’s travelled and jumped.
“He’s disappointed but has come back to form. He’s dropped a bit in the handicap and Andrew’s taken a valuable 7lb off.
“The ground has helped him as well and they went a fast gallop, which is what he wanted.
“These are in M C Pipe’s name at the moment and it’s down to everyone at the yard and Dad, who’s been doing it for a long, long time.”
Asked about the licence issue, Pipe told BBC Sport: “I’ve got to go up to the Jockey Clubon Monday and we’ll see what happens then.”
Murphy’s agent Chris Broad said: “His left wrist is bit swollen and both wrists hurt from when he had the fall. He’s gone a few strides and the horse has tripped. He never touched the hurdle.
“He didn’t seem too bad apart from missing a big winner. There’s no racing tomorrow anyway.”
Westender was recording his first win since January last year when just getting the nod in a thrilling finish to the betfredpoker.com Long Distance Handicap Hurdle.
The enigmatic 10-year-old stayed on resolutely for Tom Scudamore as Lord Sam came widest all with Boychuk on the inside.
Neither Scudamore nor Lord Sam’s rider Liam Heard wanted to go into the winner’s enclosure in the immediate aftermath.
But after a short wait, a jubilant Scudamore was able to punch the air as the judge called 20-1 chance Westender the winner by a short head, with 9-2 joint-favourite Boychuk a neck further back in third.
“I thought Lord Sam was getting there on the outside but he squeezed in between the two and I think that helped him run on again,” Pipe junior told BBC Sport.
“Tom gave him a fantastic ride, he knows the horse and knows he can keep going at him and he’ll keep responding.”
Highlight of the Flat action on a classy mixed card came in the shape of Majors Cast in the Betfred Million Spring Trophy Stakes.
The Jeremy Noseda-trained five-year-old, a winner in Dubai and placed in Group One company last season, was sent off a 2-7 chance and won accordingly under Shane Kelly, coming home an eased-down one and a half lengths in front of Philarmonic.
