A round-up of the action from Ascot on Sunday as Happy Diva won the novice chase and Malaya confirmed herself a filly on the up.
Kerry Lee ended what had been a frustrating week on a high after Happy Diva gained her third win over fences this season in the Geotech Soil Stabilisation Novices' Chase (click to watch the free video replay) at Ascot.
After watching Tree Of Liberty suffer a 1/20 defeat at Ludlow on Thursday along with being handed a £3,000 fine following the running of Kings Monarch at Chepstow on Wednesday, the Presteigne handler had her spirits raised following the seven-year-old's success.
Jumping the last in the two-mile-five-furlong contest almost as one with odds-on favourite Adrien Du Pont, the 7/4 shot pulled out enough close to the line to score by a length.
Lee said: "We needed that. She is a fantastic filly. She was bought by her owners as a three-year-old store and we've had her for four years.
"They deliberately bought a filly, as in the future they plan to have mini Divas! She travelled all the way. What a great ride by Richard Patrick. He is tremendous value for his 5lb claim.
"There is a Listed mares' novice and a mares' handicap race at Cheltenham (in April). We will keep her in with a mind to it (meeting)."
HAPPY DIVA in full flow, on the way to victory in the Geotech Soil Stabilisation Novices' Chase. 🏇🏼 🏇🏼 🏇🏼 pic.twitter.com/vY4iXkjwpZ
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) March 25, 2018
Malaya may have swerved an outing in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival but a trip to Prestbury Park could now be on the cards following her victory in the Sport Relief/GBR Billion Steps Challenge Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls said of his 7/4 winner: "She is an improving mare, but we didn't want to run in the Fred Winter as we thought it was soft enough. That was a nice race and there is a real nice mares' race at Cheltenham next month, so we will probably go there. She is improving, as she was a bit of a tearaway when we first had her."
Nico de Boinville made his fleeting visit a winning one with Colonial Dreams (3/1) showing no ill effects from a late fall at Sandown when taking the ROA/Racing Post Owners' Jackpot Maiden Hurdle over an extended two miles and three furlongs.
Nicky Henderson said of his two-length victor: "He will run again this year, I'm sure of that. He was thereabouts when he fell the last time and he would have been close. He deserved that. His jumping needs to get there, as it is a bit flat at times. I think that is about his trip. He quickened well off no pace."
There appears to be no stopping Bridget Andrews at present and the conditional jockey continued her purple patch when producing Ashoka with a well-timed challenge to land the feature Ascot Spring Garden Show Novices' Handicap Chase at odds of 9/1.
Having teamed up with trainer Dan Skelton to take Grade Two honours at Newbury on Saturday aboard Roksana, the pair struck again with the six-year-old getting up close home to defeat Beau Bay by a neck.
Skelton said: "It was a great ride. She gave Roksana a great ride, too, but make no mistake she was well in. This one she has given as good a professional ride as anyone could. There was no surrender and the horse has responded really well.
"There was one brave jump three out, but otherwise he has just waited for the race to fall in his lap.
"He surprised me when he ran at Ludlow, I thought he would be beaten 20 lengths and he ran really well, so I thought we would have one go at good one."
Rathlin Rose (7/2) showed he is not just a one-trick pony as the David Pipe-trained 10-year old gained his first win outside of military races at Sandown in almost three years in the grandnational.fans Veterans' Handicap Chase.
Winning jockey Tom Scudamore said: "He has been a fantastic servant for the yard and it is nice to get a win on him. Guy (Disney) is my best mate so he will be getting the ride back at some point.
"There is the Topham and there is still more races for him. He likes Sandown so the bet365 could be a possibility."
Sir Will (8/1) provided further success for Lee and 5lb claimer Patrick in the Iron Stand Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
Lee said: "I've had him two seasons and it has taken a long time to come. We started chasing with him very unsuccessfully earlier in the season.
"He was a close third over three miles two at Warwick last time and he didn't quite get home.
"We dropped him back today and I was a little worried about the hill, but the ground has helped."
Cheltenham Festival-winning rider Harriet Tucker illustrated the perils of life as a National Hunt jockey when coming back down to earth with a bump in the Colts & Fillies Club Open Hunters' Chase at Ascot.
After landing the Foxhunter Challenge Cup on just her second ride under rules - having dislocating her shoulder in the race - the 22-year-old saw her chance of an Ascot winner disappear when parting company with 13/8 favourite Monsieur Gibraltar at the fourth-last.
Ashley-Morton Hunte, communications manager at Ascot, said: "She was checked over by the medical team on the track and she appeared to be fine. They were satisfied with her."
Victory in the two-mile-five contest went the way of the David Christie-trained Marinero, who could now have a crack at the Grand National fences in the Randox Health Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree next month.
David Maxwell, the winning jockey and owner, said: "We are gradually getting through these big tracks having had a winner at Newbury on Friday and here today. It is fantastic and you can't beat it.
"I won the maiden race at the Oakley point-to-point meeting at Brafield-On-The-Green earlier and was fourth in the Open race before heading here.
"Marinero is in the Fox Hunters' at Aintree. He would be a cracking spin there if we take our chance in that."
