Late surge lands Fine treble

Micky Hammond's Mexican jumped the final fence three lengths clear. But his stride shortened dramatically with 50 yards to travel and Mighty Fine arrived on cue to grab the spoils.

Until the start of the campaign the 11-year-old had never won away from his beloved Sedgefield, but that all changed with a hard-fought victory at Market Rasen in November.

"Mighty Fine loves his racing and has been a grand servant to us. He's got a great attitude and always wants to get on with the job," beamed the successful trainer, Appleby-based Evelyn Slack.

Evelyn's husband, Arthur, who owns the winner, was also quick to praise the victorious jockey, Gareth Thomas.

"Gareth's very good and gives us a lot of help with our horses.

"He's never had the breaks, otherwise he would have done much better," explained Arthur.

Trainer Keith Reveley admitted to being "very relieved" to get a win out of the well-bred filly, Clouding Over.

"She's from the family of the high-class Doubly Royal, and it was extremely important for us to get her head in front.

"We can really start to enjoy ourselves with her now," said Keith, following the grey's cosy success in the Wensley Mares Only Novices Handicap Hurdle.

Stay-away trainer Sue Smith missed out on seeing her yard complete a treble when Pebble Bay, Cool Castle and Bougoure all delivered the goods in their respective races.

Stable jockey, Dominic Elsworth, only had to let out an inch of rein at the third last flight on Pebble Bay in order for his charge to bolt well clear of the opposition in the opening Barton Novices Hurdle.

Conversely, Elsworth had to be at his strongest on the Trevor Hemmings-owned Cool Castle to get the better of a protracted duel with the runner-up, Thyne Man.

Bougoure, in the same Hemmings colours, won the closing bumper under a stylish ride from promising conditional, Tim Halliday.