Twiston-Davies continues his hot streak at Stratford

JOCKEY Sam Twiston-Davies has hit a rich vein of form and a double at Stratford on Tuesday evening made it five wins from his last seven rides to close the gap on championship leader Richard Johnson, writes David Hucker.

Vosne Romanee was a red-hot favourite to follow up his Perth win in the BH and HPA Heart of England Novices’ Chase for in-form trainer Dr Richard Newland, who has had four winners from his last five runners, including a treble at Uttoxeter on Sunday.

Twiston-Davies was content to bide his time on Vosne Romanee as the pace was set by Rakaia Rosa, who had been reluctant to line up at the start, but bowled along happily in the lead when the race got underway.

Produced to lead approaching the final fence, Vosne Romanee quickly put daylight between himself and his two pursuers to win in impressive style and can make hay whilst the sun shines over the summer.

Braqueur D’Or had travelled strongly when finishing third over hurdles at Warwick in May when making his debut for trainer Paul Nicholls and he followed up with a promising second to Calin DuBrizais in a chase at Newton Abbot, going down by just a neck.

The winner won again under a penalty on his next run, so the form had a solid look about it and Nicholls had opted to run BraqueurD’Or here rather than return to the Devon course on Friday.

Sent off the 13-8 favourite to take the H.L. Barnes & Sons Novices’ Handicap Chase, his main danger looked to be No Such Number, who was pulled up on his first run for trainer Maurice Barnes behind stable companion Apache Pilot at Hexham in April, but has gone from strength to strength since, winning four races with jockey Dale Irving.

After leading to the fourth-last fence, No Such Number faded tamely when tackled by Braqueur D’Or who sauntered home for the easiest of wins to bring up the Twiston-Davies double.

Nobody wanted to make the running in the opening Racing UK First Meeting Live Maiden Hurdle over two miles, with Ritasun and Harry Bannister eventually setting a steady gallop. As the runners passed the post with a circuit to go, Tom Scudamore decided to inject some pace to the race and sent Zephyros into a clear lead, which they held until the penultimate flight where the pack closed again

As the field turned for home, it was Mister Universum who was travelling the best of all and, after Harry Skelton sent him ahead approaching the final flight, he scooted clear for a nine-length success from favourite Jodies Jem, who never looked like rewarding his backers.

Feature race of the evening was the £10,000 Bidfood Handicap Chase over two and a half miles and course winner Tindaro took the runners along at a fair pace, leading until two fences from home.

In behind, Degooch was making relentless progress with Noel Fehily and, when his jockey pressed the button, the response was instantaneous and Johnny Farrelly’s runner quickly went clear, finishing ten clears ahead of McCabe Creek.

The biggest field of the evening saw 12 runners line up for the Wheaton Lamb & Burrows Handicap Hurdle, including Samson a wide-margin winner in a novices’ handicap over the course on his last run, but raised 10lbs in the weights as a result.

For most of the two and a half mile trip, however, it looked to be a one-horse race, as Dave Crosse and Byron Blue led them a merry dance, being clear with just two hurdles to jump.

Looking down the field, it was clear that favourite Polarbrook was slowly, but surely, closing the gap and he collared the leader coming round the home turn to hit the front and hold the renewed challenge of Byron Blue after the last.

Irish raider Soleglad was backed to 6-4 favourite to make a winning debut in the Mike & Shirley Hewlett Golden Wedding Celebration Standard National Hunt Flat Race and, confidently ridden by Derek O’Connor, he came from last to first to collar Handy Hollow inside the final furlong.

Wilmcote trainer Olly Murphy struck with his very first runner since taking out a license when Dove Mountain, who won a charity race at Warwick in 2016 when trained by his mentor Gordon Elliott, scored at Brighton.

Sent off at 3-1, Dove Mountain had run for Murphy's mother Anabel on his last outing before moving down the road to the 25 year-old’s new Warren Chase Stables.