Reports, reaction and free video replays from the rest of Ascot on Clarence House Chase day

Ooh Betty toughs it out in Warfield

Ben Clarke secured a win he thought would never come after Ooh Betty turned the form book upside down when springing a surprise in the BetMGM Warfield Mares’ Hurdle.

With a string of noughts next to her name the daughter of Westerner needed to spring something of a revival, which she did in tenacious fashion in the Grade 2 test.

Setting the fractions from the flagfall the 7/1 chance got into a steady rhythm out in front under man-of-the-moment Jones with her three rivals in behind happy to bide their time.

As the four-runner field swung for home in the extended one mile seven furlong contest, Jones started to turn the screw up front on board the six-year-old with all of her rivals ready to pounce in behind with just the last two flights looming.

With Sunset Marquesa the first beat, next to fall by the wayside was Joyeuse leaving just favourite La Conquiere left to throw down the final gauntlet.

But try as she might Ooh Betty was not for passing, with Jones driving his mount out to score by half a length to give Clarke the biggest success of his career, and supply Jones with a second winner on the card.

Clarke said: “I literally didn’t think our day would come after yesterday (when The Flaggy Shore finished second in a Listed bumper at Market Rasen). We have been literally banging our heads against the wall for three or four years in Listed, Graded races and one hundred thousand pound handicaps.

“I just honestly thought it is not meant to be, and we are not going to win those races anymore. It had become a bit of a standing joke in the yard. This is really surreal.

“She ran in the Swinton Hurdle, but she was over the top after a long season. First time out she needed the race here and she missed a couple of weeks because she had a wind operation.

“Last time out her blood came back all wrong so her form was looking like she had completely lost the plot. I said to the owners we have got her back, and she is one hundred percent, and then the ground was soft. I thought it is not going to happen again.

“We nearly didn’t run and I said to the owners she is eight-years-old and we have got to be brave here as there is only three to beat. Thank God we ran her.

“Ben has ridden between 20 and 25 winners for me. When I first started training he was our jockey for the first two seasons until he got pinched by Ben Pauling, but I’m delighted because he is talented, and he deserves that job.

“To have him back on to win our first big one is mega.

And while future targets, which could include a return to the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, which she was third in last season, remain on hold Clarke gave special mention to ITV Racing’s lead commentator Richard Hoiles for his role in the success.

He added: “Since the autumn we have got to know Richard a bit and I’ve been sending him messages annoying him, but he has been reassuring me, and keeping me sane!

“I would love to run her Cheltenham on a bit of good ground as she was second behind Golden Ace in a Listed race around there as a novice, but she just doesn’t stay any further.

“Two miles is her absolute limit. I said to the owners she probably won’t go on the ground, but if jogs around and finishes fourth she might pick up a month’s training fees which will put her on the right mark for the Scottish Champion Hurdle. We’ve screwed that up, but she might still end up there.

Winston wins under Cobden

Faye Bramley has already enjoyed one memorable moment at Cheltenham this season, but she will be hoping for another after Winston Junior struck gold at the third time of asking in the BetMGM Juvenile Hurdle.

Having filled the runner-up spot on his previous two starts at Fontwell and Sandown the Churchill gelding went one better when making all in impressive fashion under Harry Cobden.

The even money favourite barely had to get out of second gear after putting in an assured round of jumping before coasting home by three and three quarter lengths to fuel dreams of an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival.

Bramley said: “He was really good and I’m just glad that the horse has won as he has never won before.

"The conditions of the race really suited him and Harry (Cobden) gave him a great ride. I just thought don’t complicate things and just pop him out.

“He is a good jumper, and we have done loads of schooling with him. We just kept it simple and it was great to watch.

“I always thought I didn’t have him quite right before Cheltenham, but all the lads were there and they wanted him to run. I felt he was okay to run, but I just thought I need to get him settled.

“I’ve got a really good guy, Paul O’Neill, who rides out and helps me, and he has ridden him now every day and he has done wonders with him. He has just come together and it was lovely to watch.

“Sometimes I think it is never as easy as it looks, but on paper it should have been easy, and I’m delighted it worked out.”

Following the race Winston Junior hardened from 10/1 favourite into 8/1 favourite for the Hallgarten and Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Festival with Paddy Power.

And Bramley, who won the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup with Glengouly last month, insisted that is likely to be next on the agenda for the four-year-old.

She added: “We were thinking of the Fred Winter, but we will see what is like when we get him home.

"That was a nice race for him, and he didn’t get pulled around like at Cheltenham and what not, so he should be fine for that.”

Jukebox calls the tune for Pauling

Ben Pauling already has an enviable looking team for the Cheltenham Festival, of which could now also include The Jukebox Kid, who got his career back on track in the BetMGM Handicap Chase.

After making a winning a debut over fences at Carlisle the Jukebox Jury gelding then failed to back that success up at Cheltenham last time out, however he was not to be denied on this occasion with Ben Jones getting a perfect tune out of the seven-year-old.

Racing front rank throughout the three mile contest, the 13/8 favourite was not for passing out in front under Jones with the pair seeing off Montregard, who was himself on a retrieval mission having pulled up last time out, by two and a quarter lengths.

Pauling said: “It was a very good round of jumping and I’m very pleased to see that. He is back on track after last time. We were concerned it was the ground last time, and it was, but that was good from a novice.

“He ran alright at Cheltenham, but the ground was decent and he had no tactical speed whatsoever in any point of the race. He was never going to win. People said he didn’t quite see the trip out and that is rubbish. When you are flat out you can’t just quicken and quicken.

“You quicken from the back of what would have been the last in the back straight all the way to the bottom of the hill, you then can’t expect them to come up it.

“I honestly think he is a horse that will thrive off confidence and that will help him progress again.”

After the race Pauling hinted that The Jukebox Kid could be aimed at the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase, however the Naunton Downs handler could look further afield as regards to a spring target.

He added: “He might stay three miles six furlongs for the National Hunt Chase. He is very good right handed so we might just avoid Cheltenham this season.

“I’m in two minds about it. I love horses by Jukebox Jury, but they are a bit quirky, and they have to believe in themselves.

“It could be a potential for him, the three mile six furlong race at the Festival. "These guys were hoping I was going to say two miles and five furlongs, but there is no hope in hell he will do that, unless it is heavy, as he is not a fast horse.

“I think it would be quite fun to chuck him on the boat to Punchestown and go right handed there, and that would be my idea.

"They won’t be against it, but they will want to have a tilt at something before it, which might not be to his maximum strength.

“He is a very talented horse who is going to go the right way.”

Vincenzo strikes for Thomas

Sam Thomas heaped plenty of praise on rising star of the weighing room Dylan Johnston after Vicenzo finally gained a deserved moment centre stage with victory in the bet365 Handicap Chase.

Having settled for second best in both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham this season the Doctor Dino gelding made no mistake when taking out the £100,000 contest.

In a race that few truly got into the well-supported 6/4 favourite bided his time before taking aim at early leader, and last time out course winner Etalon, over the final fence in the two mile five furlong contest.

While Etalon still hold a slender advantage over the last it was slowly eroded away by the progressive eight-year-old, who moved on into a clear advantage half way up the run in before prevailing by a length and three quarters.

Thomas said: “He deserved that. He is genuine and hit the line hard in both of those runs then and just bumped into other horses on the day, which Cheltenham is all about I imagine.

“I’m just delighted for him. Coming into this race as a short priced favourite for a one hundred thousand pounds handicap is a nice position to be in, but anything other than winning is disappointing for the connections. I’m just thrilled.

“Dylan is riding as well as he has ever done and he knows our horses inside out. We discuss our tactics a little bit, but he has got a real good head on him.

“You could see the horse was flat to the boards everywhere, and he didn’t really help him as he was jumping left everywhere, but I think he has given him an unbelievable ride and huge credit for Dylan for getting him up.

“I think he will get three miles and as he is getting older he is just finishing his races really well. I’ve not got past today, and the Newbury race (Greatwood Gold Cup), might come a bit too soon. He has had a seriously hard race there and the horse owes us nothing this season.”

Scott thrilled with Nowhere man

Jeremy Scott might have missed out on a potential trip to Lanzarote, but he was more than happy to watch Came From Nowhere continue his progression with a stylish win in the BetMGM Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle.

After being declared a late non-runner in the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton Park last Saturday the Shirocco gelding made up for it when putting his rivals to the sword in the extended two miles and three furlongs test.

With most of his rivals feeling the pinch on the swing for home the 3/1 favourite was still travelling full of zest in the hands of Lorcan Williams facing up to the final two flights of hurdles, where he only had long time leader Tripoli Flyer to pass.

And after mastering that rival the last time out Hereford scorer bounded away up the run in before obliging by two and three quarter lengths.

Scott said: “He has been out the frame this season. He won nicely at Hereford. We thought the handicapper might have just nabbed us a bit, but we had a bit in hand.

“It was a shame he couldn’t have run in the Lanzarote as I think he would have gone close if had his ground.

“The Lanzarote is such a valuable race now, and the owner promised to take me to Lanzarote if we managed to win it so I’ve potentially missed out on a holiday!

“I thought it was quite quick ground at Kempton Park so I was happy to wait for this weekend. Since we have upped him in trip he seems to be seeing it out nicely. It is exciting going forward.

“I don’t know how much he was holding on to the end as when he did ask him I’m not sure he found massively, but he has won it well enough.

“There was some much of the Coral Cup, but whether we get excited I don’t know. It all depends on the ground as he wouldn’t want to run on anything quicker than good to soft.”

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