STAN’S THE MAN ON A DAY WHEN JOCKEY HARRY’S HAPPY TOO
Trainer Ella Pickard put a plan together several months ago and it culminated in her gelding Stan’s The Man landing the Norfolk National over 22 fences at Fakenham.
Under Ben Godfrey, and returned at 5/1, the eight-year-old relished a step up to three miles and five furlongs and romped home to land the £20,000 contest.
“We’ve prepped him for this for a long time. He was a bit light at Warwick last time and had a soft palette issue, but it has all come right,” said the trainer, who made the long trip from Somerset worthwhile.
“The win has been a long time coming but is definitely one of my best,” she added.
“He gave me a great ride. Not all horses like this track but he did. He was happy out in front and I kicked on and he loved it. In the end he idled on the run-in,” said Godfrey.
Former champion jockey Harry Skelton was full of praise for Le Milos after the 10-year-old gelding won the £30,000 David Keith Memorial Veterans’ Chase.
Le Milos was recording his seventh chase success, the most prestigious being the 2022 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, having now reached the veteran stage.
“These veteran races are fantastic. The horse enjoyed himself. He was a pleasure to ride and showed his quality and class,” said Skelton, after unsaddling the 9/4 favourite trained by his brother Dan.
Le Milos went ahead before the start of the last circuit and never looked threatened before winning from Tommie Beau and Glynn.
The Archie Watson trained Collingham recorded his eighth hurdles success when taking the opening Regency Security Claiming Hurdle under Gavin Sheehan at 11/10.
Sheehan had to give the seven-year-old gelding a wake-up call but the favourite responded and held on comfortably to beat Honneur ‘Ajonc, as he had at Catterick in March.
James Owen is a regular Fakenham winning trainer and his Back in the Bay collected the Racing TV Mares’ Maiden Hurdle under Alex Chadwick.
The 9/2 chance never looked like being beaten once heavily odds-on Claim Du Brizais faded. It was left for the winner to hold on easily from Stuart Edmunds’ grey filly Crystal Spring.
Tracey Leeson claimed only the fourth winner of her training career when 9/4 joint favourite Annie Nail won the Alan Boswell Group Mares’ Chase under Tabitha Worsley. Leeson, whose last winner had been in November 2022, saw her mare cruise to success in the five-runner contest.
In-form trainer Olly Murphy saw Raby Mere win the Racing TV Novices Hurdle under Josh Bryan at prohibitive odds of 4/7. The gelding, who had shown promise in Irish bumpers, raced away to triumph from Dartmouth Rose.
