Strong Leader battles to victory - again

Wetherby Saturday reports, reaction and free video replays

Horse Racing

Sat October 31, 2026 · 5h ago

A review of the rest of the action from Saturday's meeting at Wetherby including free video replays.

Bowen and Leader fight off rivals

Strong Leader successfully defended his title in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby.

Olly Murphy's charge was conceding seven pounds to Take No Chances when beating her a neck last season, and this time around that that had grown to 11.

He set out to make all under Sean Bowen and both of his two rivals travelled sweetly in behind. Typically the eventual winner was first off the bridle and at the final flight, any one of the three could win.

But Bowen's perseverance was rewarded and his mount knuckled down on the run-in to put a length-and-a-quarter between himself and runner-up Lavida Adiva with Take No Chances a further half-length away in third.

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"He's been a star. It was very much a cat-and-mouse race and it wasn't the plan to pop out and make the running. He's been the horse of a lifetime for his owners, he's a home-bred," the winning trainer told ITV Racing.

"They run our local golf club and to breed this horse form off their farm, he's by Passing Glance out of a mare of their own, is a dream come true for them. He's a legend of a horse and still has an unbelievable attitude. He'll go to Newbury then the Long Walk I'd imagine and we might just think of something a little different in the spring."

Kateira goes back-to-back at Wetherby

Skelton hails Kateira as she goes back-to-back

Kateira also recorded back-to-back victories at the meeting, this time in the Listed bet365 Montagu Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby.

The two-mile contest turned into a sprint from the second last and Dan Skelton’s charge made her challenge on the stands’ side under the trainer’s brother Harry.

She showed a smart change of gear but it was matched down the centre of the track by La Conquiere.

The 6/4 winner drifted across to meet her challenger and went past 50 yards from the finish but the market leader’s brave rally took her back within a neck of her rival at the line.

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The winning rider told ITV Racing: “She’s been around for a while and she’s a darling, she really is. She’s tough and hurdles very well. I’d go as far as saying I haven’t ridden many horses who hurdle as well as her. Roksana was very good but this mare, you point her down to a hurdle, she’ll kick the top bar out, land and she’s gone.

“It’s a great thrill to ride one like this for a jockey. You can trust her with your life.”