Closing Ceremony's Haydock success a big boost for owner battling cancer

The 13 ticket-holders who agonisingly missed out on a massive Scoop6 payout when Silva Eclipse narrowly lost out to Closing Ceremony in the last leg at Haydock on Saturday can at least comfort themselves in the knowledge the victory was a particularly emotional one for winning connections.

Brothers Alan and Paul Weston make up two thirds of The High Altitude Partnership, which owns the Emma Lavelle-trained ten-year-old, and emotions ran high following the result of the photo-finish to the 3m½f handicap hurdle.

Alan Weston, who was in tears in the winner's enclosure, said on Sunday: "I've been wanting the horse to win because my brother is fighting pretty aggressive lung cancer and is finding it a bit tough as he's going through the chemo and radiotherapy.

"He's losing his hair and having a bad time of it, but he was really buoyed about it when I spoke to him on the phone afterwards, which was magnificent."

There was further poignancy to Closing Ceremony's first win since the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock in 2015 as point-to-point rider James McNeile had been part of the syndicate until his tragic death at Larkhill in April 2017.

"Everyone who saw us at Haydock will have noticed the scarves in our colours we were wearing and it was James who had actually provided them," said Weston.

It was understandable that Weston was too moved to collect the winner's prize after Closing Ceremony had prevailed by a nose.

"It was all too much for me and with my emotions I forgot to say sorry to the other connections, which I'm feeling a bit ashamed about," he added.

Closing Ceremony's victory resulted in three winning units in the near £2 million Scoop6, with each collecting £643,903.40, including a Betfred customer who staked just a single £2 line.

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