LAST MEETING REVIEW | MONDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2021
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We started September with the first of three scheduled fixtures for the month as spectators gathered to enjoy an intriguing afternoon of National Hunt racing. Leading course trainer Paul Nicholls was double handed in the Happy Birthday Wayne Hockley Congratulations Class 2 Handicap Hurdle as four runners contested the biggest pot of the day. However, the champion trainer had to settle for minor honours as his more-fancied pair of Celestial Force and recent course runner-up Easyrun de Vassy proved no match for Paul Henderson’s Ballyegan Hero. Reverting back to hurdles in what was his first start over timber for the yard, the 10-year-old was prominent throughout the extended 3m 2f contest before extending nicely when asked by Nick Scholfield, eventually eased to win by just over three lengths. Debra Hamer’s stable-star Tobefair returned after a seven-month absence to finish a distant fourth off a big weight, but he’s sure to improve for his first run of the campaign.
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The seven-race card had earlier opened with a small but select field for the PKF Francis Clark 5 ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle over 2m 2½f, which once again saw a Nicholls favourite head to post in the shape of two-time course winner Kilmington Rose. Having landed a hat-trick here earlier in the year, the mare returned to finish runner-up in handicap company over slightly further last time out but made no mistake this time around in beating market rival Our Colossus with seemingly a bit in hand under Harry Cobden. Expect to see this daughter of Presenting back in the winners’ enclosure sooner rather than later.
