Horse racing: Somersby comes good at Ascot

Having trained triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate and crack two-miler Edredon Bleu, Henrietta Knight knows a good horse when she sees one and has long talked of Somersby in glowing terms.

Although he has found victories difficult to come by over the past couple of seasons, placed efforts in the Arkle, the Champion Chase and when beaten just a short-head by Master Minded in this race 12 months ago all underline his class. After running a creditable fourth behind Kauto Star over three miles in the King George VI Chase, the eight-year-old came right back in trip for his latest Grade One assignment and it saw him record a much-deserved victory.

After tracking the strong-travelling Finian’s Rainbow, Somersby picked up well on the run for home to take the honours and give jockey Dominic Elsworth his first ever victory at the highest level. Knight is now favouring the Ryanair Chase, for which Somersby is 6-1 joint-favourite with Coral.

She said: “I questioned whether I’d made the right choice running him back over two miles but thought he deserved another pop at it as he’d gone so close last year. He has this one wonderful surge and Dominic got it dead right today. If it were my choice, I would like him to go for the Ryanair. I think that’s the right race for him.”

Alan King recorded a notable double at the Berkshire track, with Smad Place landing the Bet Mobile At BetVictor.com Holloway’s Limited Handicap Hurdle. “He’ll get three miles no problem, and I put him in the World Hurdle which could be an option,” said King.

King’s brace was initiated by Balder Succes who enjoyed a school round to beat Brilliant Barca in the Follow@ AscotInsiderOnTwitter Juvenile Hurdle.

King said: “He’s not your typical Triumph horse and could go the Aintree-Punchestown route.”

A potential clash with the mighty Quevega is on the cards for Violin Davis following her victory in the 1942 Was A Vintage Year Mares’ Hurdle. Her trainer, Paul Nicholls, said: “I think we will probably aim higher now and go for the mares’ race at Cheltenham [David Nicholson Mares Hurdle].”

Honours at Haydock went to trainer Donald McCain, who reached 100 winners for the season with a 35-1 four-timer. All four – Cinders And Ashes, Our Mick, Reindeer Dippin and Real Milan – were ridden by Jason Maguire. Celestial Halo came out on top in a thrilling StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial.

Willie Mullins dominated the weekend action in Ireland with another victory for the revived Mikael D’Haguenet in the Limestone Lad Hurdle the highlight of a hat-trick at Naas on Saturday.

Blazing Tempo then did the business for the Mullins team on Sunday as she landed the Grade Two Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse.

Ruby Walsh brought Blazing Tempo (9-4) into the race just before the turn for home and deny Noble Prince by three-quarters of a length, and she was trimmed to 14-1 from 33-1 with Stan James for the Ryanair at Cheltenham.

Mullins saddled four winners on the card, with Vesper Bell, Champagne Fever and Ceol Rua also tasting success.