14:43 Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Eider result
1st Anglers Crag 4/1 joint-favourite
2nd Only The Bold 18/1
3rd Red Delta 15/2
Report
Anglers Crag became only the third horse to win the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Eider Handicap Chase with a fine display of fencing under Danny McMenamin.
Successful in 2024 when trained by Brian Ellison, Anglers Crag had returned to form for his new trainer Nicky Richards at Carlisle in November when a change of tactics saw him make all.
Anglers Crag set out to employ the same tactics and was only momentarily headed, if at all, in the extended four mile and a furlong contest.
The field were tightly grouped with a circuit to go but they began to spread out on the final lap. Mr Vango, conceding 24lbs all round on ground that was faster than ideal, cried enough with five to jump but Value Bet selection Only The Bold loomed large on his quarters with former Welsh National winner Val Dancer also joining issue.
Val Dancer couldn't go on but Only The Bold looked a huge threat and may just have poked his head in front approaching the second last but a mistake there knocked him back and another error at the last put paid to any chance he still held as Anglers Crag galloped on relentlessly.
The winning distances were five lengths and five and a half lengths.
He's the boss
McMenamin told Sky Sports Racing: "That was a good performance. He's not the most straightforward, especially at the start.
"He got a little bit hot when we missed the break the first time but we got away fine. You've got no choice in the matter, he's the boss and you're just the passenger.
"He ran into one or two when I was trying to steady up and Bassy was trying to keep me honest which is racing. On the whole he jumped brilliantly and he toughed it out in the end."
Owner Derek Mossop added: "Marvellous, marvellous. I couldn't believe how well he jumped.
"I thought Danny gave him a perfect ride. He carries on a bit at the start and we know what he done last year [blew his chance at the start] but he got away with it this year. We bred him as well so we've had him since he was born; it's marvellous."
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