Rest of Doncaster review: Miranda magic in Yorkshire Rose
A review of the rest of the action at Doncaster as Paul Nicholls' Miranda won the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle.
Miranda blooms in Yorkshire Rose
Paul Nicholls' Miranda won the Grade 2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle in great style under Harry Cobden at Doncaster on Saturday.
Shishkin had already dazzled for Nicky Henderson by the time the Lambourn handler sent out Floressa and Marie's Rock for this prize, his pair dominating the mark as they sparred for favouritism.
Neither could keep tabs on Miranda, though, the six-year-old daughter of Camelot travelling best on the soft ground before running away with a four-and-a-quarter length victory.
Floressa finished second.
Cobden said: "Solid, probably one of her best ever runs. She beats some smart horses who were in behind her.
"She tries hard. Today was her main aim this season but she's going the right way and if she keeps improving who knows where she'll end up."
🌹 Miranda impresses to land the Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) January 30, 2021
👏 Well done to the Owners Group pic.twitter.com/RlMUNsrs9z
“She’s been a consistent mare and obviously the weights there were quite favourable,” said Nicholls’ assistant Harry Derham.
“Last time we thought she was just flat out round Musselburgh, but today a big, galloping track and slower ground suited her absolutely perfectly. She’s done it really nicely.
“It’s important for those nice mares to get some black type and a Grade Two win like that is great for her. And it’s fantastic for the Owners Group.”
Miranda could run next in the Betway Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 20.
“If the ground is soft, we might run her in the Kingwell Hurdle,” said Derham.
Whether Miranda will run at the Cheltenham Festival is up in the air.
“Whether or not she’ll go the Festival, I’m not sure,” he added.
The Cob sails to River Don victory
Ben Pauling's The Cob ran away with the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle under Daryl Jacob at odds of 25/1.
In a gruelling contest the fancied horses were well beaten and The Cob proved the strongest stayer, winning by nine lengths after a step up in class following a third at Newbury off a mark of 129 on his last start.
He was well proven in tough conditions having won in heavy ground at Haydock earlier in the season and this was Pauling's third River Don victory in six years following the victories for Barters Hill (2016) and Nadaitak (2019).
Second was Portstorm (50/1) for Scottish trainer Ian Duncan who stayed on from the back under a patient ride from Conor O'Farrell, with Castle Robin (14/1) third.
Jacob said: “All credit to Ben and his team. With Cheltenham off, he switched me to this fella. He had no worries about the trip for him.
“He travelled through the race nicely and jumped nicely. It was probably my mistake three out. Other than that he’s won readily enough and pricked his ears after the last. Thankfully, he had race sewn up by then.
“Ben just said to get a nice start. They went a nice, even gallop and with it being his first try at the trip, I didn’t want to be handy. I just lobbed away and got into a relaxed rhythm.
“On that ground, if you do too much you definitely won’t get home. I just wanted him to last and stay the trip, most importantly.”
That's my Boy!
Dorking Boy (13/2) returned to form to land the Visit attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle - and a few bets - for Tom Lacey and Jason Dixon at the top of the card.
The seven-year-old had won a Newbury handicap from a rating of 123 last season but had dropped back down to a perch of 121. He started this season with two runs over fences but reverted to hurdles in November after jumping poorly in a handicap chase at Ascot.
He cut little ice at Huntingdon but it was a different story on this return to action as he ran on strongly to cut down the gallant 150/1 chance Sayar who had set out to make all.
“It was nice to get him back on track, having run so well over fences at Exeter, but then things went wrong at Huntingdon,” said Lacey.
“We gave him plenty of time to recover from that and this looked a lovely opportunity. It’s nice when it comes off.”
There was a sting in the tail for Dixon. He was banned for two days for using his whip without giving his mount time to respond after jumping the final hurdle.
In contrast, The Late Legend (7/2 favourite) has been on a roll this season and victory - confirmed after a stewards' enquiry - in the Sky Bet Money Back As Cash Handicap Chase was a fifth of the campaign for Tom Weston's charge.
Sean Bowen jumped the eight-year-old out in front and there the pair stayed, more or less, throughout the three mile contest.
Special Acceptance launched a challenge in the straight and was bumped by his rival, who jumped out to his right, at the third and second last - prompting the stewards to take a closer look - but he refused to lay down and launched a renewed challenge after the last, finishing just half a length down.
Bowen said: “He was a different horse today. He normally doesn’t travel that well and jump that well, but he was really enjoying himself.
“He’s always dossed in front and that’s what he did today, but he kept going where it mattered.”
Richard Johnson re-routed to Doncaster once Cheltenham was abandoned and a frustrating day for the former Champion Jockey finished on a positive note with Marshmallo's victory in the British European Breeders Fund (EBF) Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The 20/1 chance is from the family of Grand National winner Party Politics and has clearly inherited plenty of stamina as she stayed on stoutly to see off the challenge of Billams Legacy with the field well strung out behind.
“The owners bred her as well so they will be delighted,” said Johnson.
“She’s obviously improved a bit from Warwick. To win on that ground is hard work so it showed she’s got a good attitude.
“I’m sure she’ll make into a nice staying hurdler in time.”
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