Fuller moves a step closer to title after Stratford double

PAGE Fuller took a big step towards being crowned champion amateur lady jockey for the season when landing a double at Stratford on Sunday, writes David Hucker.

It was at the course back in August that Fuller had broken her ankle when unseated from Culm Counsellor in an amateur riders' hurdle, causing her to miss four months of the season.

But, luck was on her side this time as, with jockey Trevor Whelan unavailable, she came in for a chance ride on course winner Sgt BullBerry in the opening toteplacepot Six Places In Six Races Handicap Chase over three and a half miles.

Joining leader Kilcascan with a circuit still to run, Sgt Bull Berry belied his starting price of 16-1, putting in some fine leaps on the way to a seven-length success from The Last Bridge, who plugged on at one pace after being prominent early on.

Jack Snipe, who had been given a long break after winning at Taunton, looked to be in with every chance until losing ground with a slow jump at the penultimate fence, finishing another ten lengths back in third.

Honkytonktennessee showed much improved form on his debut for Dan Skelton and was well fancied to follow up his Huntingdon chase win in the totepool Racecourse Debit Card Betting Available Handicap Hurdle.

In a race in which the lead changed hands several times, it was top-weight Shoofly Milly who took the field along until the fourth-last flight where It’s Oscar went on, tracked by Derrick D’Anjou.

There was a new leader at the second-last flight as Richard Johnson sent Derrick D’Anjou to the front but, in behind, Honkytonktennessee, who had been held up early on by Harry Skelton, was travelling much the better and he quickly asserted going to the final jump to win going away by five lengths.

The Skeltons were looking to double up in the following totequadpot Insure Your Placepot Last Four Novices' Hurdle with Thisonetime, who had won a bumper at Warwick in January 2016 when trained by John Quinn, but was still seeking his first win over hurdles.

Adopting different tactics to the previous race, Harry Skelton had Thisonetime in front from the off, setting up a clear lead, with Gray Day in pursuit.

A mistake at the third-last flight stopped Thisonetime in his tracks and he folded tamely, leaving Eaton Hill to go clear of the field and record an easy success, giving trainer Kerry Lee her 22 winner of the season.

Storming Strumpet was a well-backed favourite to land the feature totepoolliveinfo.com Visit For Racing Results 'Confined' Handicap Chase, having finished third in a better class race at Cheltenham only three days before.

Just touched off on her previous run at Leicester, she had been 10lbs out of the handicap at Cheltenham, but ran off her correct rating of 112 here.

Conor Shoemark set a good pace up front on the veteran Lord Landen, but the pack were closing halfway down the back straight and he was joined by Altiepix on the turn for home. Stalking the front two was Storming Strumpet and, despite pecking on landing over the final jump, she readily went clear for a deserved first success over fences.

Elysian Prince was seeking back-to-back course wins in the @totepoolracing For Live Racing News Novices' Handicap Hurdle, but he could never get near enough to challenge, as Our Three Sons made all the running to land the Fuller double.

Riding for her boss Jamie Snowden, Fuller was always in command on Our Three Sons and the combination came home a long way clear of Starlight Court, who finished best of the three Skelton-trained runners, with The Way You Dance, who made a mistake at the penultimate flight, staying on at one pace in third.

Deise Vu was another winner from the previous Saturday looking for a follow-up win in the Collect totepool Winnings At Betfred Shops Novices' Handicap Chase, but he couldn’t resist the challenge of top-weight Baraza, who took command at the final fence to complete a double for trainer Tom George and jockey Adrian Heskin after the earlier success of Storming Strumpet.

Evan David and Always Archie turned the concluding totepool Betting On All UK Racing 'Grassroots' Hunter' Chase into a procession from the second-last fence, finishing clear of favourite Bound For Glory.