There may have been double delight for Jack Tudor and David Pipe at Newton Abbot on Thursday, but it was the Jed O’Keeffe-trained runner, Fringill Dike, who stole the headlines from another action-packed meeting.
Up against the highly-fancied Matterhorn, who was looking to take his fifth successive victory for trainer Paul Nicholls, Fringill Dike made the most of an error by his rival at the third fence to pocket the £25,000 Newton Abbot Handicap Chase.
With punters heavily backing Nicholls’ in-form, six-year-old gelding, the early mistake proved costly and he was ultimately pulled up by jockey Nico de Boinville after the ninth.
This paved the way for Fringill Dike to stroll home ahead of Grey Diamond and ensure a happy home journey for North Yorkshire trainer O’Keeffe.
Whilst there were plenty of celebrations for O’Keeffe, so too were there for Pipe and Tudor, who took the opening Book Our Winning Post Restaurant Maiden Hurdle with Sirekoff.
Sent off as one of three co-favourites for the race at 3/1, Tudor kept his ride always in contention before eventually seeing off rival Tribal Glory by three-quarters of a length on the run-in.
The Tudor-Pipe combination worked a treat again later in the day, this time Via Dante taking the honours by six lengths from Ruby’s Reward to land the William Hill Leading Racecourse Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle.
Biggest outsider of the day at 80-1, Great d’Ange, prevailed in the Happy Birthday Jo Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles. Amateur jockey Martin McIntyre took control from the fourth-last fence to fend off the attentions of 11/2 shot William Ewart.
Sean Bowen recorded his one and only win of the day aboard Sergeant in the third race, the Visit Our Antiques And Collectables Fair Handicap Hurdle over two and a quarter miles.
Last season’s champion jockey runner-up took command between the last two flights, ensuring his ride was too good for joint-favourite Obessedwithyou and six-time course winner Clearance, who looked to have found his latest hike in the weights too much.
Although beaten by Zhang Fei over the same course last month, Melton Mossy returned to winning ways when taking the 15-runner Keely Hodgkinson For Sports Personality Handicap Hurdle by a neck from Colonel Lesley.
Jumping the final flight together, it was Melton Mossy and Isabel Williams who found the better turn of foot on the run to the line.
Elsewhere, Sam Twiston-Davies was given a wonderful ride by Glynn to beat Kauto The King and Begin The Luck in the newtonabbotracing.com Handicap Chase
