Brodie Hampson gains emotional second success in Royal Artillery Gold Cup

Brodie Hampson fought back the tears after gaining an emotional second success in the Castel Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown on Friday.

Having made her first ride in the three-mile race a winning one in 2016 when carrying the silks of her father Sergeant Mark Hampson – who sadly died later that year – to glory on aboard Jennys Surprise, the 24-year-old repeated the feat with the Ben Pauling-trained Carlos Du Fruitier.

With the hat-trick-seeking partnership of Rathlin Rose and Captain Guy Disney parting company at the second-last when mounting a challenge, the 7-4 favourite was left to see off Ludlow scorer Huff And Puff by two and three-quarter lengths.

Hampson said: “The plan wasn’t to make the running, but with a circuit to go the pace was a bit on and off and I know he needed a good pace, so I thought ‘we are going to have to take it up here and now, and you are going to have to help me out and I will help you out’.

“I spread some more of his (father’s) ashes at the winning line today and he was with me all the way, I know that. It was massively emotional – it is every time I come here.

“Dad was was in the Royal Artillery for 24 years, so it was a big part of his life and to come back here and do it again for him, he would be so proud.

“Next year hopefully we will get back into his colours again on another horse.”

Gary Moore will soon be working out his team for the Cheltenham Festival and it could include Not Another Muddle after he earned a 16-1 quote for the Grand Annual with Paddy Power, following a three-and-a-quarter-length success in the “Ubique” Handicap.

The Lower Beeding handler said of the 6-4 winner: “I think he is quite a nice horse and he might get an entry in the Grand Annual. I think that sort of race will suit him as they will go hard and he is a strong traveller.

“Better ground might help him as well.”

After missing her first runner on the card following a delayed flight back from Geneva, trainer Venetia Williams arrived just in time to see Achille carry the colours of 2009 Grand National hero Mon Mome to glory in the starsports.bet Handicap Chase.

Williams said of the 4-1 winner: “I had a three-hour delayed flight and missed the first runner here. Hugh (Nugent) gave him a super ride. When they jump as well as he did they don’t have to do much galloping.”

Aintree could be on the agenda for the Colin Tizzard-trained Reserve Tank after he floored odds-on favourite Elusive Belle by two and a quarter lengths in the Dickie Pile 80th Birthday “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.

Tizzard said of the 5-1 scorer: “It was the right race for him and he beat quite a decent winner. He is not entered at Cheltenham. We will try to have another little race and if he runs well he could go to Aintree in the spring.”

Copperhead (9-4) completed a double for Tizzard when following up his victory at Exeter with a four-length success in the starsports.bet Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.