Five things we learnt on Wednesday - Moon shines in Exeter gloom
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
By Gavin Beech
Moon shines in Exeter gloom:
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White Moon dominated Exeter’s Free Spins At 188Bet Casino Novices' Hurdle in the manner of a horse who could just be a bit special.
The Colin Tizzard-trained son of Sholokhov, who carries the same colours as stablemate Native River, has been in a different league to everything he has raced against in two hurdle races so far and has more than earned a crack at something bigger now.
This galloping grey has won both of his starts now by six lengths. It was interesting to note that he was fitted with a first-time tongue-tie.
Hughes the man up north:
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Ayr’s seven-race card was dominated by Brian Hughes, who completed a brilliant 556-1 four-timer in thrilling style.
Catamaran Du Seuil produced a stirring finish to just get up and plunder the Book Now For The Ayrshire Wedding Show Handicap Chase by the narrowest of margins.
Hughes, who has been operating at a 20% strike-rate at Ayr in recent years, sits in fifth place in this season’s jump jockey standings on 54 winners, comfortably best of those based in the north.
James Bowen continues to impress:
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19:30 York - Friday July 26
Speredek’s all the way hurdles success at Exeter provided James Bowen with a 20th career success, thus reducing the conditional riders’ claim from 7lb to 5lb.
Bowen, whose biggest success to date came aboard Exitas in the Listed Byrne Group Handicap Chase at Ascot earlier this month, has some way to go if he is to catch up with brother older brother Sean (228 winners) but a strike-rate of 14% is not to be sniffed at for one so young.
Plenty of the big yards, notably the likes of Nicky Henderson, Colin Tizzard, Harry Fry and Dan Skelton, have tapped into his talent.
Buttons could scale new heights over fences:
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19:30 York - Friday July 26
Lady Buttons had to dig deep in the closing stages to see off the consistent Dusky Legend but the way Philip Kirkby’s mare travelled through that Bangor Listed contest on her chasing debut suggests she has a bright future over the bigger obstacles.
If she can leave her hurdles mark of 134 behind, she will be a contender for some of the big mares’ chases in the Spring.
Cap looks one to follow:
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Harry Fry struck with an across the card treble on the day but the most exciting inhabitant of his to shine was surely If The Cap Fits, who put Bangor’s Pertemps MPS Novices' Hurdle to bed in taking style when Noel Fehily let out an inch of rein after the last.
Graded races are likely to be on the agenda sooner rather than later and his trainer is confident he will get further.
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