HEREFORD Racecourse's early November fixture on Monday opened with a local success when the Harewood End trainer Tom Symonds’ Presentedwithwings came home a 12/1 winner from his ten rivals in the opening two mile three furlong Maiden Hurdle, writes Graham Saveker.
Ridden by Ben Poste, the six-year-old Presentedwithwings saw off his more fancied market rivals Hurricane Mitch and Lord Appareli by one and three-quarters and a further one and a quarter lengths distance to the third and give Symonds his seventh win of the season.
There was heavy pre-race support for the trainer and rider combination of Harry and Dan Skelton and their runner Across The Line in the two-mile novices hurdle which saw it sent off 4/7 favourite.
Harry Skelton had his mount always handy and the pair drew clear easily with a minimum of fuss from the Tom Lacey trained Velasco to score by 10 lengths.
Trainer Dan Skelton said after the race: “I think he’s probably going to improve a lot from today, he didn’t want to be in front too long and hopefully he’ll progress”
The courses leading trainer of the current season, Hay based Sheila Lewis saddled recent winner Cotton End in the two-mile Mares Handicap hurdle but it proved to be a winner for the combination of trainer Stuart Edmunds and jockey Ciaran Gethings as their runner Maskada took the honours.
Appreciating the softer ground from his seasonal debut run Maskada was always travelling well and came home a 19-length winner after Cotton End, set off the 11/4 favourite taking a fall at the final hurdle when holding every chance, leaving Darlyn to stay on to claim a distant second place.
With the effect of Covid-19 limiting travel, Irish jockey Robbie Power has taken the decision to temporarily re-locate to England, riding mainly for Dorset trainer Colin Tizzard and his powerful west country string and the two-mile handicap chase saw a win for the combination of Power and Tizzard with Princess Midnight.
Placed on his last two outings Princess Midnight allayed any pre-race fears of the ground being too soft as she stayed on strongly to record a two and a quarter length win over the runner-up Wisecracker and rider Bryony Frost.
Power, talking after the race, said of his first winner at the Holmer track: “It’s my third time here. Delighted to ride my first winner here”.
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