Ayr shakes off the winter blues to give British racing a jump start for the year

Published on Saturday 10 January 2009 22:15

ON A day when even the bookies had to give best to the weather, Ayr hosted the resumption of jumps racing in Britain after the recent cold snap had blanked meetings for a week. All credit to the Ayr executive for getting the meeting on at short notice, and there were some cracking prizes courtesy of sponsors Blue Square, but the 1,600 hardy spectators must have wondered if it was worth the candle in gale force winds and freezing rain.

Indeed candle was nearly the operative word as the last race was run in semi-darkness, by which time only seven of the 18 Tattersalls bookmakers were still doing business and one of the five rails layers had also called it a day – they're usually such hardy chaps, too.

Howard Johnson reached his target of a half-century of winners before December 31 and continued where he left off, Denis O'Regan producing Johnson's Prince De Beauchene to lead at the penultimate flight in division one of the Blue Square Novices' Hurdle and drawing away to pass the post with seven lengths to spare over Bracken Lad.

Winning owner Graham Wylie said of the 13-8 chance: "We bought him to go chasing – he has won over fences in France – but I think we will keep him to hurdling for this season."

Johnson's Companero (4-9) extended his winning sequence to five in the Blue Square Casino Novices' Chase, while Nicky Richards' decision to give Harmony Brig a break from the chasing game paid off when the 10-year-old won a thrilling Blue Square SP Guarantee Handicap Hurdle, getting up in the last strides to win by a short head.

Keith Reveley watched Jass (100-30) come out best under his son James in the Blue Square Handicap Chase. The Willie Amos-trained Lie Forrit, owned by Hawick-based John McNeill and ridden by his grandson Campbell Gillies, won division two of the Blue Square Novices' Hurdle at 4-6 favourite.

Lucinda Russell's consistent Prosecco (5-1) made it two wins from five starts this term under Peter Buchanan in the Blue Square Mobile Handicap Hurdle, and the trainer said: "They have done well to get the meeting on and all credit to everyone."

Scotland's greatest-ever National Hunt jockey, Peter Niven, had his latest success as a trainer when Pinewood Legend (11-2) landed a gamble under Graham Lee in the concluding Blue Square Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

Meanwhile at Lingfield, Contest set up a trip to the Dubai Carnival when landing a punt on his debut for David Simcock in the William Hill January Sale – Why Bet Elsewhere Conditions Stakes. Jim Crowley's mount was backed down to 9-1 from 25s and benefited from laying up with the pace to deny pace-setting Turn On The Style by a length and a quarter. Bonus and 5-4 favourite Aeroplane clashed during the week, finishing first and second at Kempton, but the pair never landed a blow under hold-up rides.

Scots-born Mark Johnston's Lady Jane Digby (7-1) showed a smart turn of foot to win the William Hill January Sale – Bonuses Galore! Handicap under Hawick jockey Greg Fairley who has had a tremendous start to 2009.