Peterston-super-Ely farmer Philip Dando saw his seven-year-old IfAndBut win the Call Star Sports On 8000 521 321 Handicap Hurdle at Exeter (writes Brian Lee).
In a field of 14 runners, IfAndBut, ridden by 5lbs claiming jockey Mitchell Bastyan, won by two-and-three quarter lengths from Micras and was returned at odds of 7-1.
Former point-to-point rider Dando – he rode one winner at the age of 15 – is well known as a breeder of many point-to-point winners.
A mistake three hurdles from the finish put paid to the chance of the Evan Williams trained Silver Streak landing The New One Unibet Hurdle worth more than £42,000 to the winner at Haydock Park.
The race was won by the Bryn Pauling trained Global Citizen, who under David Bass made all to beat Silver Streak ridden by stable jockey Adam Wedge by three lengths.
The Ben Pauling trained Global Citizen lands Grade 2 contest The New One Unibet Hurdle with David Bass aboard 👏 pic.twitter.com/rsIyrnNF80
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) January 19, 2019
There were no excuses from Williams who: “The best horse won.”
Silver Streak, voted the best hurdler in Wales at the beginning of the year, has now finished runner-up in his last three races.
Williams was also out of luck at Taunton where his Railroad Junkie, partnered by Pembrokeshire’s Sean Bowen, was beaten half-a-length by the Tom George trained Boagrius in the Foresters Garden Buildings Chase (Novices Limited Handcap Chase.
Ron Harris and his daughter Grace, who both train in the Chepstow area, saddled winners at Wolverhampton.
Grace landed the opening Like Sun Racing On Facebook Aprentice Handicap over seven furlongs with 50-1 no-hoper MoorOverTheBridge and Ron won the Betway Handicap over five furlongs with 16-1 chance Union Rose.
MoreOverTheBridge got home by a neck from Blessed To Empress and was partnered by Finley Marsh and Union Rose, who was ridden by Welsh speaking jockey David Probert from Bargoed, won by one-and-a-quarter lengths from the John Spearing trained A Sure Welcome.