AGRAPARTY ANIMAL; Lizzie's purple patch continues as 16-1 shot does the business in Betfair.
Byline: ROCKAVONAgrapart gave rising star Lizzie Kelly yet another big race winner in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
The 16-1 shot, trained by the jockey's stepfather Nick Williams, was always well to the fore in the two-mile contest and forged clear to beat Starchitect (16-1) in terrific style by 11 lengths.
Flying Angel (25-1) took third ahead of Affaire D'Honneur (8-1) while red-hot 3-1 favourite Blazer never landed a blow in ninth.
Kelly said: "He's a funny horse. He ran extremely well at Aintree and also at Sandown. I was surprised he was as long odds as he was. It's nice when you go under the radar, people ignore you a bit more.
"My plan was to really get them off it so there was no way any speed horses could come back at me because he has a very high cruising speed.
"It's a bit like winding up a toy car because once he gets going it's almost like nothing can stop him."
Kerry Lee has also enjoyed a season to remember and her Top Gamble (11-10 Fav) lowered the colours of Champion chaser Dodging Bullets (6-5) in the Grade 2 Game Spirit.
T h e eight-year-old made most of the running under Richard Johnson and came home 10 lenghts to the good of his Paul Nichollstrained rival with Captain Conan (15-2) a distant third.
Lee said: "You have to respect the Champion chaser but if you are not in it you can't win it and he wouldn't have earned fifty grand standing in his box. It was a thrilling race to watch and Richard Johnson knows him so well and gave him a lovely ride.
"I think he might actually really suit Punchestown, as he's more likely to get his ground and it's a big galloping track. I wouldn't be mad for the Ryanair, because of trip and ground, but I wouldn't rule it out." Nicholls added: "Dodging Bullets been going nicely at home but it's all very well going nice at home, you've got to be race fit and he wasn't.
"He's going to come on tons for the run but undoubtedly he needs to. He's having a right blow and on that ground they've just got to the bottom of him from the back of two-out. There's huge improvement to come but there needs to be."
Top Gamble is a general 25-1 shot for the Ryanair while Dodging Bullets is now as long 12-1 to retain his Champion Chase title.
Meanwhile, Violet Dancer (8-1) ended L'Ami Serge's A r k l e claims in the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick.
Gary Moore's gelding always had his better-fancied rival's measure and still had a cosy 11 lengths in hand at the finish under the trainer's son Jamie.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager to L'Ami Serge's owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: "It's safe to say he won't be running in the Arkle and we'll have to see how he is in the next few days if he will run in the JLT.
"He was jumping to his left more than usual and that definitely was disappointing."
However, Coral were impressed with Violet Dancer and made him a 14-1 chance for the two-mile novices' showpiece.
At Gowran, Sempre Medici (2-7 Fav) continued Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins' domination of Irish graded events in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.
The six-year-old wasn't entirely happy on the heavy ground but still managed to see off the challenge of Bentelimar (5-1) cosily by six lengths.
Paddy Power kept Sempre Medici at 33-1 for next month's Champion Hurdle.
Henry De Bromhead's Smashing (9-10) booked hisplacein the Ryanair by landing the Red Mills Chase for Davy Russell.
CAPTION(S):
set fair for victory The classy Agrapart (purple) soared to victory under in-form Lizzie Kelly (above)
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Feb 14, 2016 |
| Words: | 633 |
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