VENETIA Williams was in sparkling form at Hereford races ‘Christmas Jumper’ raceday on Saturday as the Kings Caple trainer scored a treble with wins for One Style, Longhoussignora and Burrows Park.
One Style with partner Hugh Nugent was making his first start for 601 days since his last winning run.
The nine-year-old led from the start of the extended three mile Conditional Jockeys Handicap Chase and was never challenged, coming home a sixteen length winner.
Nugent later teamed up with Williams’s Longhousesignora in the three mile Mares Chase and again the partnership were unchallenged from the third last fence and easily justified 9/4 favouritism from his nine rivals.
The treble was completed when Lucy Turner rode the stable’s Burrows Park in the two mile three furlong handicap hurdle.
The treble was a welcome relief for the Kings Caple yard after it had suffered the shock of losing their long-time campaigner Houblon des Obeaux to a fatal heart attack at the recent Sandown Park meeting.
Most impressive winner of the day was the Kim Bailey trained and David Bass ridden First Flow, who having being dropped in grade from his last run at Ascot was sent off a heavily odds on 1/9 favourite and won by 20 lengths.
A return to higher grade opposition over a longer trip now beckons fro the seven year old son of Primary.
Jockey David Noon fresh from his win the Caspian Gold Cup at Cheltenham that afternoon on Warthog made the short trip across from Cheltenham to Hereford for the ride on Innerpickle in the concluding Bumper race but he was out of luck on this occasion as the win went in fine style to The Mick Preston scoring by nine lengths for the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard.
Away from Hereford races trainer Michael Scudamore scored a high profile win with the win of Northern Beau in the two and a half mile Handicap Chase.
Ridden by Brendan Powell for owners Lyne and Angus Maclennan, Northern Beau led approaching the final two fences and stayed on strongly to record a two and a half length win over the Tom Scudamore ridden Eamon An Cnoic.
Up at Doncaster Byton's Kerry Lee scored with Storm Control in the two-mile three furlong handicap chase in the colours of her Cheltenham winner Happy Diva.
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