Amateur rider rewarded as Salvatore upsets Cheltenham Festival winner

Friday: Bangor

A chance phone call led to amateur rider Darren Andrews upsetting a Cheltenham Festival winner as 14-1 shot Salvatore denied odds-on favourite Porlock Bay in the hunter chase.

With Will Biddick running and riding last season's St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase winner Porlock Bay, who was sent off at 4-9 on his first racecourse start since his festival heroics, the ride on the Philip Rowley-trained Salvatore was up for grabs – and Andrews used his initiative to secure it.

He said: "I knew Will was running Porlock Bay and on the off chance I rang Phil on Tuesday morning and they rang me back on Tuesday night and I went and schooled him. They were happy with me and I was happy with him.

"He's only nine and he's done that very well today. His last few runs round Larkhill have been under his standard, but I think the mud helps."

Salvatore won last season's Scottish Hunter Chase before pulling up at Cheltenham. He was given a first show quote of 16-1 by Paddy Power for a return to next month's festival.

Porlock Bay can also be backed at 16-1 for the Festival Hunter Chase after bet365 pushed out his odds from 8-1 following the two-and-a-quarter-length defeat.

In the same race, AJ O'Neill was suspended for eight days for his ride on Quarenta – trained by his father Jonjo – after the stewards held an inquiry into whether the jockey should have pulled up before his mount refused at the second-last.

The stewards also suspended Henry Bailey, aboard sixth-placed Unai, for one day after he weighed in more than 2lb overweight.

Another fantastic win for Lady

A 9lb rise in the handicap proved no hindrance for the well-bred Fantastic Lady as she followed up last month's Warwick win with another decisive success.

The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old, a close relative to Listed-winning stablemate Casablanca Mix, travelled and jumped in the manner of a mare capable of stepping up in grade.

Results, replays and analysis

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