Flier jets in for Veterans’ victory

The Flier Begley soared to success in the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

Gary Hanmer’s 10-year-old was ridden by 3lb-claimer Jack Hogan in the valuable contest, which offered £23,000 to the winner in addition to a spot in the series final.

In a field of 10, the bay always jumped well and looked comfortable throughout, taking full advantage of his low weight allocation to hold off all challengers and secure a three-and-a-quarter-length victory.

“He’s a dream to ride – he travelled, he jumped like a buck and he’s won well there,” said Hogan.

“I said to the owner before the race that we were up against it with some of these horses here, but we were coming with him in form.

“He couldn’t have been any better, so I knew we’d have a good stab at it and he’s done it very well.”

The Free Bet With Unibet’s Betbuilder Rebound Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle went the way of Olly Murphy’s Double Oban, who won the race in the stewards’ room after an inquiry.

The five-year-old was the 11-10 favourite under Lewis Stones and crossed the line in stride with Donald McCain’s Lahire, who was announced the winner after a photo finish.

The stewards were called in to look at interference between the first two home, however, and after an inquiry the initial placings were reversed and Double Oban has handed the race.

A double on the card was then secured for Murphy by Fingle Bridge, who took the Watch Unibet Racing Post Postcast Novices’ Hurdle under Sean Bowen as the 2-5 favourite.

The seven-year-old was a useful bumper prospect who then had a long spell off the track, but returned to make his hurdling debut with a Uttoxeter win in December.

He was well backed to follow that win up with another, but did not always look comfortable around the tight bends of Market Rasen and had considerable ground to make up in the home straight.

He plugged on and reeled in the race leader and eventual runner-up Wellington Arch to score by a length and a quarter.

“I want to go to Exeter with him for a Listed race on February 9, he went badly left at Uttoxeter so I was very keen to go right-handed with him,” said Murphy.

“I wanted to make sure that wasn’t going to be a problem, hence why we came here, and the timing was right as well.

“He’s not an easy horse to train, you can see that he hits the ground hard and he’s a big boy.

“If he stays sound he’s got a big future ahead of him. It’s beautiful ground here, good to soft, but he wants proper soft ground. He won’t be going anywhere near good ground at Cheltenham.”

My Portia came good for Laura Morgan when winning the Unibet More Extra Places Than Ever Novices’ Handicap Chase under Brian Hughes.

The 3-1 favourite ran promisingly last time at Leicester and built on that effort in Lincolnshire, jumping fluently throughout and looking to find things fairly easy with an uncontested four-length success.

“It’s all down to Mrs Micklethwait (owner and breeder), any other owner would have given up on her!” said Morgan.

“She’s not easy but I was really confident coming into today, she jumped so well the whole way round.

“That has come with time, she used to be a bit iffy and run her races backwards almost, she was too free and she wasn’t relaxing.

“Whereas today, she got into a great rhythm and she ran away from them at the end with her ears pricked.”