Hawick family pull off stunning 80-1 upset at Musselburgh

A DAY that started out well enough for punters at Musselburgh yesterday ended with a few fingers burned, as 80-1 outsider Nodda High Kid pipped well-backed favourite Brindisi Breeze by a head in the closing National Hunt Flat race.

The winner, trained in Hawick by Donald Whillans and ridden by his son Callum, showed great tenacity to hold the persistent challenge thrown down by the Lucinda Russell runner in the closing stages, and held on bravely by a head.

It was a painful blow for favourite backers, however, as they had got stuck into the jolly, backing the former point-to-point winner down from 7-4 to 11-10, only to see the gamble come unstuck in a pleasing result for the bookmakers.

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It was one of three ‘home’ successes on the card, Jim Goldie’s Baaher winning under Graham Lee at 4-1 in the handicap chase and Langholm’s James Ewart providing the other as 10-11 favourite Allow Me won under Brian Hughes in the maiden hurdle.

Earlier, Donald McCain’s stable had taken the opening two races with Gulf Punch and Kie, 11-4 and 1-6 favourites respectively, while Barry Murtagh’s Carrietau (11-1) won the Nodram Chase and fellow Cumbrian-based trainer Nicky Richards sent out Parc Des Princes to win the Jeden Business Flooring Handicap Hurdle at 4-1.

At Newbury meanwhile, two of the most exciting talents of last year’s hurdling division combined for a thriller over fences at Newbury as Bobs Worth passed Cue Card by a short-head in the Fuller’s London Pride Novices’ Chase.

It would be fairer to call it a score draw over the median trip of two-and-a-half miles, as Cue Card carried a 7lb penalty by dint of a previous chase win, while Bobs Worth is likely to need longer distances in the future.

Colin Tizzard’s Cue Card (2-1), former champion bumper winner and second in the International Hurdle last season, appeared to have matters in hand until the home straight as he jumped elastically in front. It took even-money favourite Bobs Worth, winner of the Albert Bartlett over three miles last season, a little longer to warm to his new discipline, but he remained in contention as Cue Card became slightly sloppy at the final four fences and crept up right on the line.

Winning trainer Nicky Henderson said: “He’ll improve a lot for that. I know he’s going to finish up at three miles, but I wasn’t in a rush to start him over that trip.

“Barry [Geraghty] said he was confident at the last that he would get there, and I’m glad he was, at least. He jumped a little left, but not violently. Kempton [Feltham Chase on Boxing Day] is the obvious race.”

Bobs Worth was cut to 6-1 for the RSA Chase by Boylesports, with Betfred offering 8s, while the former firm go 16-1 about Cue Card for the Arkle, and 8-1 for the Jewson.

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Tizzard said of the runner-up: “We have just got nabbed by a very good horse – he just outstayed him. I thought four or five out that he [Cue Card] was always going to win, but the 7lb penalty has found him out.”

Urbain de Sivola (7-2) could have some big-race engagements after proving ten lengths too slick for hot favourite Ranjaan in an often informative Q Associates Juvenile Hurdle.

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