More Of That ran out a classy winner on his chasing début as he beat As De Mee by 2 1/2 lengths. The JP McManus owned former World Hurdle winner was making his first appearance on a racecourse for 349 days but his class shone through as he tracked the leaders until the last and quickly put the race to bed with a fine jump.
He receives quotes of 8/1 for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
In the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Novice hurdle 5/6f Penglai Pavilion was comfortably overturned by unbeaten Shantou Village. The favourite tracked early leader Champers On Ice but was unable to pick up on the run in. That left it to Shantou Village to reel in the leader 3 out and run out and impressively comfortable winner by 15 lengths, earning Albert Bartlett quotes of 10/1.
Nina Carberry served up a double delight aboard Josie’s Orders, in the Cross Country, and Knock House, in the Amateur Handicap. The former came under a well timed and confident ride from Carberry, who responded to claims for AP McCoy that female riders deserve a 3lb allowance in fine style. Knock House benefited from a strong drive from Carberry to prevail by a neck under top weight to deny Foxbridge.
The gamble of the day was miraculously landed by the Ben Pauling trained A Hare Breath. Off the track for a monumental 695 days, the maiden opened up at 25/1 last night for the Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. Come the off, he was just 6/1 and justified the market support with a 2 length victory. A remarkable achievement not only to win a race in such circumstances, but to get the horse back on the racecourse after such a long absence.
