Lady Hope made a perfect racecourse introduction to run out a shock 33-1 winner in the prized Goffs Hundred Grand bumper at Newbury.
Trained locally by Hugie Morrison, it was easy to see why she was sent off at such heavy odds in a competition that featured many impressive previous winners.
In a race where many were still dreaming of their chances inside the final two furlongs, Johnny Burke’s mount suffered significant traffic problems on the run.
But one day during the day she came home with a three-quarter length run over Nicky Henderson’s Speaker Wife.
Morrison said: “Before Christmas I told Martin (Hughes, part-owner) that she was a lovely looking mare who deserved to run a decent race. They all thought this bumper was fine so we thought there was no reason not to spend a day at Newbury.
“We had a bruised foot a few weeks ago and thought she wouldn’t be able to be here, but she’s definitely a quality filly.
“We’ve always loved her physical specimen and the way she moves, but most of my bumper horses are basically mile-and-a-half horses that don’t make it home to the winter grounds. Other people work for her and we just hoped she would have a good day, to be honest.
“She was green, she didn’t know what she was doing, she pricked up her ears and won. She obviously had a great engine and was expertly purchased by Paul Webber at the dealership.”
He continued: “She got a bonus for this too, so she’s got about £85,000. “What’s keeping her running again, it takes a lot out of this race.
“She’s only four years old so I think she deserves a few more jumping lessons before she outgrows the paddock.”
Cat gets cream for King and Bellamy
Charisma Cat produced an impressive performance to take a deserved win in the BetVictor British EBF “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
Alan King’s six-year-old was a registered bumper winner last season and has yet to complete all but the first two of his four hurdling races. After winning at Chepstow last January, he chased home the famous Khrisma at Market Rasen last time out.
Although Khrisma showed that form at Kelso earlier in the afternoon, there was no stopping Charisma Cat, who was always up front and had enough to fend off all her challengers in the straight.
A step up on the trip was clearly Oracle, a 6-1 scorer who came home three quarters of a length from Pismo Beach, a 16-1 chance.
Charisma Cat ridden by Thomas Bellamy cleared hurdles to victory at Newbury.
the king said sky sports racing: “She was a very good bumper mare and the thing that hit her hard early in the season was her jumping. She was very well schooled at home and ran well on her debut, but when we were 1-6 at Wincanton she never jumped over hurdles.
“The cheek piece sharpened her and it was a good performance today.
“I had a good filly for Nicky Henderson at Market Rasen last time, but I had to run her to qualify today. She was up four pounds for something I wasn’t very happy with, but she got away with it.
“I’ve had a few good mares come here who were beaten by ten stone before they got off top weight. That didn’t happen today, thank you.”
Prairie Wolf books Topham tickets as Newbury strike
Prairie Wolf booked his ticket to Topham at Aintree when he produced a notable blow north in the BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase at Newbury.
Last month’s Newcastle winner was sent off 4-1 down and despite a bold bid from the front by Paul Nicholls’ course winners Twinjets, Prairie Wolf were always in the best position to attack under Jack Tudor and won by three quarters following the last leg.
It marked another Saturday success for the Bingley team of Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, with the nine-year-old becoming the partnership’s second runner-up at Newbury.
“He was running a big race and I thought he might be fast so I was a little worried about the ground and I think he was, but it was all the same,” Parkinson said.
“We’re excited to get his head back in front and it’s great to come down south and do that. It’s his third win of the season and his second good pot as well.”
Prairie Wolf ridden by Jack Tudor to win the BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase
Confirming his plans to now seek further wealth at Aintree beyond the Grand National fence, he added: “He got into Topham and if he’s okay in the morning we’ll stick to that plan.”
“I think he’s the right profile and he can improve against those fences, so we’ll have him ready in a few weeks.”
In the opening Castle Windows Newbury Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle, Chris Gordon’s Dovecote runner-up Kocktail Bleu took a creditable win as an even favorite.
He will head to Sandown on the final day of the jumping season for the £100,000 bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle.
