Wincanton Saturday review and free video replays

Decker justifies strong support

Dibble Decker rewarded some strong support in the market after prevailing in a tight finish to the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Handicap Chase at Wincanton.

Trained by Tom Lacey, Dibble Decker was backed into 11/2 near the off and was always travelling powerfully for Stan Sheppard.

Charlie Deutsch attempted to make all on the Venetia Williams-trained 2/1 favourite Georges Saint and he was still just about in front at the second fence from home.

Sheppard was delivering his challenge on his inside while Iconic Muddle was on his outside, but it was Dibble Decker who was always doing enough on the far side, benefitting from a first-time tongue tie.

Sheppard told ITV Racing: “He’s certainly much better with a lead, the last day he was fairly forward. His first run last year was poor and his first run this year was so he obviously takes a run to reach a peak. The tongue tie was definitely a contributing factor, I’d never heard anything wrong with his wind but it was worth a go today.”

Lacey and Sheppard teamed up over Christmas to win a nice race with Blow Your Wad at Kempton and the jockey had news of his future targets.

He said: “Tom has been very good to me over the past four or five years, jockeys and trainers need good horses and we seem to have found one with him. I think he might go to the Pendil at Kempton in February, miss Cheltenham and then go to Aintree.”

Thunder looks nice prospect

Joe Tizzard could have a nice prospect on his hands in Lord Of Thunder, who justified strong support in the Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle.

He travelled strongly throughout for Brendan Powell and the 4/5 favourite had no trouble in pulling seven and a half lengths clear.

Powell said: “I think he’s improved since his last win. We didn’t go mad early but he quickened up from the back of two out and he’s put almost 10 lengths between himself and the others fairly rapidly. Maybe Kim Bailey’s horse (Heros De Romay) has slightly underperformed but regardless of what he beat he couldn’t have done it any easier.

“I wouldn’t say he needs soft or testing conditions but he does handle it very well. He’s quite exciting, I don’t want to get too carried away but he’s earned the right to step up in grade.”

Buck defies market drift

Fast Buck (100/30) was put in as favourite for the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase, yet despite two non-runners ended up being the outsider of four.

You would never have known, though, as he made just about all the running under Lorcan Williams, who said: “It’s nice to be sat on him in such great form and he got into a nice rhythm.

“It’s fantastic for the owners and the trainer (Jane Williams) is in form, I was lucky enough to be sitting on him. He’s got a unique jumping technique but now he’s 10 he’s probably got the knack of it.”

Rest of the action

Trainer Joe Tickle celebrated his first winner of the season when Daany (8/1) stayed on dourly to win the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Hurdle, the second leg of a double for Micheal Nolan.

Tickle said: “It’s taken a while to come but two miles round here seems to suit him down to the ground.”

Nolan had earlier won on Mairis Icon (9/4), who got off the mark at the eighth attempt in the Virgin Bet Fives Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle for Seamus Mullins.

Rare Clouds (15/2) was rewarded for a series of consistent efforts when winning the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap Hurdle for Simon Earle and James Best.

The concluding Virgin Bet Novices’ Handicap Chase went the way of the Noel Williams-trained Haston Clermont, with Jonathan Burke steering the 4/1 shot to victory.

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