The first race was run at 5.30 and was a novice hurdle won by Anthony Honeyball's Public Enemy (9/2). The 4 year old looked well in the prelims and won by 2 lengths in the end from fast finishing outsider Duel Au Soleil who was definitely the horse to take out of the race. I had backed the original favourite in this, Old Bridge, for David Pipe however, he drifted from 13/8 out to 11/4 and folded tamely after going off too fast. He's on a real retrieval mission now. I left the next race alone as I fancied Mary at 7/2 but her price contracted sharply on course and I felt the price had gone. I was glad I did let this one go as Mary belted the first and that probably cost her any chance she had. She finished 3rd and ran well all things considered but really does need to cut out the errors if they are to persist with chasing. The winner was the well supported 11/8 favourite Iskar D'airy for Gary Moore who won well. He could go in again. In the 3rd race I backed last year's runner-up Northern Rose, who looked gun fit in the prelims. She was just beginning to be asked to improve when she came down at 4 out unfortunately and I'm sure connections will be frustrated that she did this at her favourite track. The short priced favourite Auntie Maggie (10/11) made all in this to win snuggly. It didn't look the strongest race and I'm not sure much will come out of it. My main bet of the night was on Lemos De Souza's Fillyfudge in the Mare's Novices Handicap Hurdle at 7pm. This 6 year old mare hadn't actually won a race over hurdles but was a 3 time winner on the flat over 10 furlongs and was sent off 6/4 in that sphere earlier this month. On her last hurdles start (at Stratford) she finished 2nd to a subsequent winner and was clear of the 3rd. She was available at 4/1 here (which I took) before being backed down to 10/3. She kicked clear rounding the home turn and ran out a ready 12 length winner. She'll be punished for this by the handicapper but she's off the board over jumps now and could progress. I was tempted to back Emma Lavelle's Bethpage in the long distance handicap hurdle but after seeing his price drift from 13/8 to 3/1 I decided to let the race go. I was happy I did rounding the home turn when Up For Parole (needs softer) kicked a couple of lengths clear from a pushed along Bethpage but Harry Cobden got a real tune out of his mount after the last and Bethpage ran out a comfy winner on the line. I can see there being more to come. In the 3 and a half mile handicap chase I thought that 7/2 about recent Norfolk National winner Stans The Man was too big and he duly galloped his rivals into the ground here. He's in decent nick at the moment which is more than can be said for his rivals. He won by 12 lengths in the end and I wouldn't be surprised if there was another race in him this summer over the marathon trip. I quite fancied Nickelforce in the penultimate race (handicap chase) but 5/4 was too short for me. Ben Case's 6 year old didn't jump well throughout the race and probably ran well to only be beaten by 3 1/2 lengths into third. The winner, Village Master (6/4) was taken wide through much of the race and never really looked like the winner until jumping the last and he got the better of the likeable Romanor up the run in. James Bowen had his work cut out here but there seems plenty to work with for the winner and it will be interesting to see if Warren Greatrex goes up in trip again. I liked the chances of Hillsin (13/2) in the final race of the night, a handicap hurdle, but Brian Hughes' mount was always in rear and unseated 3 out when not looking a threat. He's now looking frustrating. The winner was the James Owen trained Laravie (stable in form) who held off the challenge of the 18/5 favourite Supreme Yeats. The winner (6/1) won well and could go in again given similar conditions. The runner up came from a long way back but may not have too much improvement as he looked fit beforehand and must have been trained for this race bearing in mind he won it last year. It wasn't to be for the Skelton's this night as they had plenty of horses and the one in the last was the only runner to go well. I'd avoid the stable at the moment as it looks as though they are trying to get the weights down on a lot of the string. In the end, thanks to a couple of winners, I managed to claw back my losses from losing bets at York and Haydock in the afternoon and actually manage a minuscule profit for the day. Maybe I should stick to the jumps still!
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