REDCAR'S abandonment due to a waterlogged course bolstered numbers significantly at Sedgefield yesterday as many race-goers made the late switch to form a huge Bank Holiday crowd at the track.

It was touch and go in the morning, but having survived a 9.30 inspection, the jockeys described the rain-soaked ground as "bottomless" following the opening John Wade Selling Handicap Hurdle.

The two-mile-five-furlong contest was won in gritty fashion by the 4-1 joint-favourite, Dennis The Menace, gamely making most of the running under Declan McGann to repel the late challenge of Frankincense by three lengths.

"He's owned by a bunch of lads from Blaydon and is their first horse," reported trainer Bob Johnson, who is based on the banks of the River Tyne at Newburn on the outskirts of Newcastle.

Johnson went on to complete a first and last race double when Jaccout adopted similarly forceful front-running tactics to record a second course and distance triumph.

Although any one of five horses could have taken the money as the tight-knit quintet jumped the last flight of hurdles in virtual unison, it was Jaccout who found the superior turn of foot under a strong drive from the trainer's son, Kenny.

On an afternoon when the favourites were generally in command, the bookies didn't get any respite in the Gosforth Decorating Beginners Chase when the 11-10 odds-on market leader, Tom Fruit, left his rivals for dead.

Jockey Russ Garritty was in no hurry to make his move, taking the lead at the final fence, prior to surging clear on the long run-in aboard Tim Easterby's improving eight-year-old.

In the absence of Howard Johnson, his father-in-law, Ray Hawkey, was on hand to greet Supreme Leisure into the winners' enclosure for the Garnett's Coaches Novices Hurdle.

"He really dug deep and Graham (Lee) was very pleased with him," said Hawkey after Supreme Leisure comprehensively out-battled Mazzareme inside the final furlong.

Green Ideal notched back-to-back track and trip successes by storming away with the cantorspreadfair.com Handicap Chase.

"He came from Nicky Henderson's, but after looking like he was going to win on his first try for us over fences at Carlisle, he fell and lost his confidence and it's taken a long time to recover," said Barry Murphy, son of the victorious trainer, Ferdy.

Northumberland-based handler, Simon Bell, ended a 12-month drought when Diamond Cottage galloped on in relentless style to claim the leg-buckling three-mile-three-furlong SIS Handicap Chase.

"He's fractured his pelvis and had leg problems in the past, so I've had to be very careful with him and the patience has finally been rewarded," explained Bell, who resumed training in early 2004 after a prolonged spell out of the game.

* Britain's first runner in a European Pattern race this season, Babodana, finished last of seven in the Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud yesterday.

The Group Three contest was won by the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Valentino in the hands of Ioritz Mendizabal, with Special Kaldoun a length and a half away in second and Tiganello third.

The Mark Tompkins-trained Babodana, winner of last season's Lincoln at Doncaster, was outpaced when they kicked on in the straight in the mile event.

He was also disqualified after Nicky Mackay failed to weigh in.

Get more racing online at www.racing-north.co.uk.