Horse racing: Three in a row for Quevega

Despite foul conditions, the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday served up a thriller with Quevega landing the race for the third successive year.

The Grade One was billed as a match between Willie Mullins’ incredible mare Quevega, winner of the last four David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdles at Cheltenham, and Voler La Vedette, runner-up to Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle last month. Punters were not disappointed, either, as the two big guns arrived late on the scene still on the bridle as Mourad took over from the pace-setters turning into the straight.

As has been the case when they have met before, however, Quevega just had that extra change of gear when Ruby Walsh pressed the button, and the 11-10 favourite sprinted clear to win by five and a half lengths to give Mullins his seventh winner of the week. Walsh said: “She was very good, we went a good gallop in testing ground but she settled well and jumped really well. Off the bend it looked the match that it was, but Voler La Vedette started to fold going to the last hurdle and my mare stayed better.

“I thought Andrew [Lynch] gave her a great ride at Cheltenham and never got into battle until as late as he possibly could, but Quevega’s a great mare. Her programme suits me. Big Buck’s is Big Buck’s and I’d say the handicapper has it fairly sorted.”

Torrential rain has again hit the racing calendar hard with several meetings being abandoned and a handful of others in some doubt.

But as the Punchestown Festival continued through desperate conditions, Sandown’s big meeting today and tomorrow that traditionally ends the National Hunt season is in no obvious danger. Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: “At the moment no inspection is planned as there’s nothing to look at.”

As further chase events were cancelled at Punchestown over yesterday and today, a six-race card tomorrow will feature thetote.com Gold Cup, which was due to be staged on Wednesday.

The news was not good for Leicester who were due to stage one of their biggest meetings tomorrow.

Clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson inspected the venue just before 8am and was forced to admit defeat due to extensive waterlogging.

Beverley’s meeting yesterday was lost after a scheduled 9am inspection was put back to 11am. Racecourse manager Sally Iggulden said: “We have been raceable right the way through but we knew we couldn’t take too much more.”

Ripon’s meeting tomorrow is also in some doubt, with an 11.30am inspection called for this morning.

The Perth Festival has managed to escape the worst of the weather, which has hit racing particularly hard south of the Border, and Akarshan is fancied to win the Lonmar Global Risks Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase this afternoon.