Posh Bird enjoys Lee’s Catterick trip (From The Northern Echo)

Posh Bird enjoys Lee’s Catterick trip

12:01pm Friday 13th January 2012 in Horse Racing News

POSH Bird benefited from a superb waiting ride from Graham Lee to claim the North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick.

Lee recorded his 1,000th career winner when completing at double at Newcastle on Saturday, although according to the jockey himself, he still needs six more to reach the landmark for wins over jumps in Britain.

Making just her second start for Peter Niven, 8-1 chance Posh Bird was towards the rear of the field for much of this three-milesix- furlong journey, but Lee gradually coaxed his mount into contention.

Cool Mission was ridden far more prominently, but was unable to repel the mare, who jumped to the front at the second last and kicked clear for a five-length win.

Lee said: ‘‘If you told me when I started out riding in Ireland that I’d ride 1,000 winners, I’d have told you to get back on your spaceship and go back to whatever planet you came from.

‘‘Peter told me that I’d have to tell her a story on the way round to keep her interested, and thankfully I had a good one to tell her and a few jokes as well!

‘‘She has her own way of doing things, but she’s done it well.’’ Niven added: ‘‘I got her from Ian Ferguson, who did a good job with her, but he just felt there were more opportunities for her over here.

‘‘I was taking her to Ayr the other week but it was abandoned. I’d been in the box eight and a half hours and had to turn round.

‘‘She’s done it well today and stayed the trip well, so it’s great.’’ Creekside became the latest John Ferguson recruit to make a winning start to his National Hunt career in the yorkshire-outdoors.co.uk Juvenile Maiden Hurdle.

The strongly supported 8- 13 favourite was formerly trained in Ireland by John Oxx and ultimately had no trouble making a winning start to his new career.

Having travelled powerfully for Jack Quinlan, he overcame a final flight error to score by two lengths from Uncle Bryn.

Ferguson said: ‘‘I’m very happy with that.

“He’s showed some good form on the Flat in Ireland and this is the start of a learning curve.

‘‘We’ll get him home and we’re lucky enough to have one or two quite nice ones, so we’ll see where he fits in.

‘‘It’s the first time I’ve been to Catterick since I was a schoolboy!’’ Chris Bealby’s Countess Comet (28-1) ran out a fortuitous winner of the catterickbridge.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle.

With the strongly-fancied Ferguson runner Cry Of Freedom brought down at the first flight, the way looked clear for hot favourite Star Of Flight to follow up last month’s course and distance triumph.

He almost certainly would have done but for parting company with Jason Maguire at the second-last when clear, but that left Countess Comet and Magic Cat to fight it out, with the former winning the argument by two lengths.

‘‘We thought she was nice and she had been a natural schooling,’’ said Bealby.

‘‘She might have got a bit lucky today but we like her and she should stay further and will be better on better ground.

‘‘That’s our 15th winner of the season, which is our best by a long way.’’ The Edwin Tuer-trained Patavium (9-2) recorded hid third course win in the Leeds Handicap Hurdle.

Tuer said: ‘‘He’s won me two races every year for the last few years, so this is a good start to 2012.

‘‘He ran in a competitive race at Sedgefield last week and the ground suited him better today.’’ Country Antrim-based Stuart Crawford made a successful raid on the North Yorkshire circuit as 11-1 chance Best Legend gained a narrow victory in the Wakefield Beginners’ Chase.

Next To Nowhere (3-1) claimed an eventful W. L.

And Hector Christie Memorial Trophy for Nicky Richards and Dougie Costello.

Otto Quercus fell at the third from home when in a clear lead, before Zazamix came to grief at the final obstacle when challenging the eventual winner.

Next To Nowhere was left with a big advantage, but was eventually all out to hold off the strong-finishing Gentleman Jeff by a neck.

‘‘It’s nice to have a winner and you take them however they come,’’ said Richards.

‘‘He’s a big, gross horse who should improve, but he’ll have to if he’s going to progress.’’ Big Water (7-1) ran down Smadynium to take the closing Tunstall Standard NH Flat Race for Alan Swinbank and Lucy Alexander.