Crook eyes Cheltenham for Bocamix (From The Northern Echo)

Crook eyes Cheltenham for Bocamix

9:58am Thursday 26th November 2009

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ANDY Crook’S thoughts are already turning to the spring after watching his Bocamix run out an impressive winner of the goracing.co.uk Juvenile Maiden Hurdle at Wetherby.

Ridden by conditional Michael O’Connell, Bocamix took up the running at the third-last flight and he drew right away to pass the post with 14 lengths to spare over Veronicas Boy.

Bocamix (4-1) had run with promise on his jumping debut and then fell two out when having every chance at Market Rasen last time, but that mishap had clearly not dented his confidence.

Crook said: ‘‘We might have to have a look at Cheltenham with the way the juvenile hurdles are this season, even if it was for something like the Fred Winter.

‘‘I have had one runner at the Festival before, Ryalux, who was still going well when he fell at the top of the hill (in the 2002 Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase).

‘‘Bocamix’s owner Helen Sinclair wanted a grey horse but I couldn’t find one over here, so we asked an agent in France to find one for us and we claimed him after a race in Clairefontaine.

‘‘He won four races over there and only ran eight times and he is a nice strapping horse, so we don’t know what we have got.’’ Birthday celebrations started a day early for Gary Derwin after he notched the first success of his career on his Laborec in the Hold Your Christmas Party Here Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Laborec (11-4), trained by Howard Johnson for Andrea and Graham Wylie, took a definite advantage going to the third-last flight and Derwin kept his mount going well up the straight to score by six lengths from Calfraz.

Dublin-born Derwin, who will be 21 on Thursday, said: ‘‘I was so buzzed up I didn’t know he (Calfraz) was there!

‘‘I had a year with George Moore before going back home (to Dublin) for personal reasons and I joined Howard two months ago.

‘‘He has been very good to me. That is my third ride for him and tenth in all, so I must be doing something right.’’ Johnson and the Wylies completed a double in dramatic fashion when Passport Control, who was led up by Derwin, finished alone under Denis O’Regan in the threerunner Braham Hall For Conference & Banqueting Beginners’ Chase.

Minella Boys was in front when he fell four out and as second-placed Teamgeist swerved to avoid him, he unseated his rider leaving Passport Control (11-4) to come home alone. Johnson’s assistant Ray Hawkey said: ‘‘You can’t beat a bit of luck, we would only have been third, but that’s racing.’’ Kilkenny All Star (5-2) gained a deserved first success in the hands of Richard Mc- Grath in the Buy Tickets For Boxing Day wetherbyracing.co.uk Handicap Chase.

Smith said: ‘‘He was sent to us for this season. It is difficult to say how good he is, but he is a fantastic jumper and his jumping got him there today.

‘‘He has run over further but this trip (two miles), on this ground and on a stiff track seems to suit him.’’ The Mick Easterby-trained Lightening Rod (11-2), winner of two bumper races last season, opened his jumping account at the second attempt under Ollie Greenall in the Walton ‘‘National Hunt’’ Novices’ Hurdle.

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