Exeter Review...well done Emma!

Andover trainer Emma Lavelle stole the show at Exeter with a treble, the first of her career.

Lavelle won both divisions of the racinglottery.co.uk Novices' Hurdle with Gullinbursti and Highland Lodge, while Easter Meteor won the Sun Inn Buckfastleigh Beginners' Chase.

Gullinbursti (3-1) travelled supremely well throughout and the Cork bumper winner looks a nice prospect having beaten horses from the Paul Nicholls and Philip Hobbs yards in the process.


Lavelle said: "He had a bit of education in Ireland and he's just a nice stamp of a horse. He's very straightforward, a little bit green with his jumping at times but basically very good. He's definitely one for the future. We know he'll jump a fence, he's got plenty of ability and he's one to look forward to."

Lavelle and jockey Jack Doyle were back in the winner's enclosure when Highland Lodge (7-2) cruised home, and Doyle told ATR: "I'd been filling him up after jumping the last down the back so I knew that I had loads of horse left. He was only just doing enough in front."

Easter Meteor (7-4) had shown promising form in novice hurdles but always had the look of a chaser and was foot-perfect. His sister Easter Legend won the mares' final at Newbury last March.

"He was so professional today," said Lavelle. "In fairness Barry (Fenton, former jockey and Lavelle's partner) has been schooling him at home and he deserves credit.

"He said I should have no worries dropping him in trip as he was so quick through the air. His jumping was great today. Jack said he lost a little concentration when he was out on his own down the back when he got in a bit tight to a couple, but he was very good."


Champion trainer Nicholls continues to make waves with the horses sent to him by owner Graham Wylie, and The Knoxs was the latest to win in the Pertemps Qualifier for Daryl Jacob.

Nicholls said: "He's obviously got a huge engine and seeing him do that, you never know we might have a bit more fun over hurdles with him, but not necessarily in handicaps after today."

Peddlers Cross Makes A Smooth Transition

Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross made a smooth transition to fences with a straightforward victory in the Golden Bear Beginners' Chase at Bangor.

Donald McCain's dual Grade One winner did little more than expected under Timmy Murphy in beating two rivals rated vastly inferior, but there was still plenty of encouragement to be taken from his fluent and accurate jumping.

The 1-8 favourite had his opponents cooked a long way from home in the extended two-mile-one-furlong event, and negotiated the last couple of fences in the straight immaculately to win by a ready four and a half lengths.

The Chazer ran a fine race to finish second, with early pacesetter Laterly coming home last of the three.


McCain said: "I'm relieved and he's done what we always expect of him. The only time he's done anything wrong it was my fault, we shouldn't have gone to Aintree (at the end of last season).

"I was kicking myself afterwards and when you saw how hard he struggled after the last to the line at Cheltenham I should never have even contemplated going. Thankfully, I've got an owner that forgives me.

"You expected him to make one small mistake going round, but I didn't see one. He's done everything we've asked him to do and done it really well. There is no substitute for experience and I'd like to think we'll get two or three more (runs) into him at least.

"Last season's light campaign was firstly due to the weather and secondly due to him being under the weather. He loves his job."

Murphy said: "I was delighted. He did everything I asked and when you needed to be a bit long he can be and when you needed to get in tight he can be, I didn't need to make his mind up. I couldn't ask for a better ride first time over fences.

"He's quick horse and a high-class hurdler. If I'm honest, my only worry was that he'd still be a little bit 'hurdley', but he wasn't. He did it very professionally and concentrated on everything he was doing. He's had a perfect start and I'm sure Donald has left a bit that he can build on. The sky's the limit at the moment."

News On Peddlers Cross

Donald McCain is keeping everything crossed that Peddlers Cross can avoid any mishaps and make a winning start to his chasing career at Bangor.

The six-year-old won his first seven starts and went down fighting when eventually losing his unbeaten record at the hands of Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He ran below par on his final outing of last season at Aintree in the spring, but McCain has been thrilled with his star performer since his summer break and he starts out in the Golden Bear Beginners' Chase, in which he will be long odds-on to beat three inferior rivals.

The trainer said: "I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to it! This has been his target for a while, it's a grand track and the ground should be lovely, so let's just hope we can get it out of the way in the right way. He's very well at home and everything has gone nicely."


With stable jockey Jason Maguire (photo) sidelined by injury, Peddlers Cross will be partnered by Timmy Murphy at the Welsh track.

McCain added: "Timmy came in and sat on him the other day and it was fine. It's all a bit different for him as Jason is the only one who has ridden him under rules, but there's nothing we can do about that and it shouldn't be a problem.

"We won't make any plans until we get this race out of the way. As we saw at Exeter last week with Menorah (unseating Richard Johnson), these things are never as straightforward as people think."


Due to take on Peddlers Cross at Bangor was last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Al Ferof, owned by Golden Bear chairman John Hales, but connections had a late change of heart due to Ruby Walsh's unavailability and he will now run at Cheltenham this weekend instead.

"Bangor was our preferred option but he's not running because Ruby is suspended and we really want him to ride," said Hales.

"We were hoping he would get the ban overturned at last week's appeal but that didn't happen, so he'll run at Cheltenham on Sunday instead. Ruby has done all the schooling on the horse and knows him well, so we think it's important he can ride."

Trouble At Sedgey

Conditional jockey John Winston was banned for 10 days by the stewards at Sedgefield following his ride aboard On The Right Path in the Norchem Novices' Hurdle.

The 10lb claimer finished fourth, about 16 lengths behind the winner Hawk Mountain, in the two-and-a-half-mile event.

The local stewards found Winston guilty of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on the Ferdy Murphy-trained gelding.

Winston's suspension runs from November 22 to December 1 inclusive


John Kington fell foul of the new whip rules after partnering Kayf Commander to victory in the John Smith's No Nonsense Handicap Hurdle.

The 3lb conditional will be banned from November 22 to 26 inclusive after being deemed to have used his whip with excessive frequency.

Betfred November Handicap Preview

Amanda Perrett is hoping Classic Vintage's liking of Doncaster will stand him in good stead in the Betfred November Handicap this afternoon.

The five-year-old was fourth to Times Up 12 months ago and usually puts his best foot forward on Town Moor.

"He's fine, but he's just been waiting for a race as there hasn't been one for older mile-and-a-half horses for about six weeks. Our other horse, Pivotman, didn't get in and I hope the race planners have a look at the situation next year," said the Pulborough trainer.

"He won't mind cut in the ground. He has particular courses that he likes and thankfully Doncaster is one of them."


Times Up's trainer John Dunlop pins his faith on Harlestone Times to repeat the trick.

"Harlestone Times is 4lb higher than when he narrowly won over this trip at Goodwood in May, but comes here in good order having had a nice break since the Mallard here in September. He won on soft ground as a three-year-old," said Dunlop's racing secretary Marcus Hosgood.

Tepmokea could only manage eighth place last year but his trainer Richard Fahey is keen to have another go.

"He's drawn wider (23) than I would have liked, but I won't use that as an excuse. He's a few pounds higher than he was last year, but we're happy with him and we have no problems with the ground," said the Malton handler.

Menorah faces just two rivals today

Menorah faces just two rivals on his fencing debut in the Betfred Goals Galore Novices' Chase at Exeter.

Last season's Champion Hurdle fifth is reported to have taken to the bigger obstacles well at Philip Hobbs's stables. His jockey Richard Johnson is looking forward to putting the practice to use on a track he feels is ideal.


"Exeter is a lovely track to take a novice to," said Johnson.

"He's schooled nicely at home and we hope that he can transfer his hurdle form to fences. If he does then we've got a lot to look forward to."


It is not expected to be a walkover, however, as Paul Nicholls saddles the four-year-old Sam Winner, who receives 8lb from Menorah.

Sam Winner was also not disgraced over timber at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing fourth in the Triumph Hurdle.

The trio is completed by Shammick Boy, who represents the Victor Dartnall team successful in the United House Gold Cup at Ascot on Saturday with Exmoor Ranger.

Hanagan a step closer to back-to-back jockeys' championships

Paul Hanagan moved a step closer to claiming back-to-back jockeys' championships with a winner at Wolverhampton.

Hanagan struck on Richard Fahey's Gritstone (6-5 favourite) in the Breeders' Cup Live ATR Virgin 534 Handicap.

With his main rival Silvestre de Sousa not back in action until Wednesday having flown to Australia to ride Fox Hunt for Mark Johnston in the Melbourne Cup, Hanagan admits his win was vital. He now leads De Sousa by five having ridden his 160th winner of the campaign.


"It's going to be a tough week but this just gives me a bit of a cushion," he told At The Races.

"I just need to keep going for a few more days but it's going to be tough. I've had fantastic support from everybody, obviously the boss (Fahey) has been amazing.

"But those Mr Johnston horses are incredible, they just keep going and going so I won't be able to drop my guard.


"I know how hard Silvestre works and I'll be glad to see him when he gets back.

"It's fantastic for northern racing but also racing as a whole. We need something good to focus on for a change."