Battleoverdoyen as short as 12-1 for RSA after scintillating chasing debut

Gordon Elliott has expressed he might not have a better novice chaser this season than Battleoverdoyen after the Grade 1 novice hurdler made the perfect start to his chasing career in the 2m6½f beginners' contest at Galway, with the winner now as short as 12-1 for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ridden by Keith Donoghue, the son of Doyen immediately looked at home over his fences with some spectacular leaps in a fluent debut. He was a joy to watch as he stayed on up the hill to score by eight lengths from the other Gigginstown-owned runner and 138-rated hurdler Cap York.

His winning rider said: "He was brilliant. He jumped very well and has loads of scope. I was just doing enough in front the whole way and up the hill from the last he had a good blow.”

“He was back in later than some of the others in the yard so there's going to be big improvement in him. It's good to get that out of the way."

The result was the final leg of a double for Elliott after useful five-year-old Mount Ida obliged in the mares' maiden hurdle under Davy Russell.

No stopping Foveros

Willie Mullins dominated the 2m4½f rated novice hurdle as the diminutive Foveros followed up his win at the summer festival at the track with an arguably better performance under Paul Townend.

The low sun led to all of the hurdles in the back straight being omitted, six in total, which did not particularly suit anybody, but the winner battled on well from the final flight to get the better of stablemate Quartz Du Rheu.

A crack at the Royal Bond Novices Hurdle in early December would not be out of the question given his rate of progression and Townend said: "He's not big but he has an engine. It was a bit of a messy race with the hurdles being omitted and he was a bit keen at times, but his jumping has improved each time. I would have been kicking myself for producing him as early as I did if I had been beaten!”
Justin O'Hanlon

Grand National-winning colours fly high at Aintree

Never discount a Trevor Hemmings-owned horse at Aintree – even one who has been out of action for the best part of two years.

Burtons Well had not run for 664 days but you would not have guessed it from the way he landed the veterans' chase under Charlie Deutsch, in the green and yellow checks made famous by Grand National winners Hedgehunter, Ballabriggs and Many Clouds.

The 11-2 shot scored by four and a half lengths to give trainer Venetia Williams her first winner since May and the owner's racing manager Michael Meagher said: "He surprised us today but we're delighted.

Burtons Well (Charlie Deutsch) wins the veterans' chase at Aintree on SundayCredit: Grossick Racing (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's had a lot of leg trouble and he's taken a long time to come back. But he's always threatened to be a good horse. He won first time out over hurdles when we didn't think he was fully wound up, and he takes no getting fit.

"He's a really genuine horse whose jumping was grand today and it's great when they come back."

Hemmings also took the £27,500 2m4f handicap hurdle with the Henry Daly-trained Stoney Mountain, whose jockey Richard Johnson said: "He was a nice novice with solid form all season and that was a good race for him to come back in and a decent prize to win."

Surprise at Circus act

Same Circus sprang a 40-1 surprise in the conditional jockeys' hurdle, with her owners as stunned by the Donald McCain-trained mare's success as anyone.

"She's a chaser all over and usually when she runs in races like this she gets outpaced then stays on again," said part-owner Paul Worrall from Warrington.

"We knew she was fit but we thought it would be the same today. We'll talk to the trainer but I'd be surprised if she didn't go back over fences now."

Fergal O'Brien makes it magnificent seven

When your luck is in, your luck is in. Fresh from what he calls "my best day's racing ever" Fergal O'Brien scored possibly his narrowest victory ever.

The trainer, who had three winners at Cheltenham on Friday, kept up his run of success as Imperial Alcazar landed the maiden hurdle under Paddy Brennan shortly before Templepark made it seven out of 12 for the stable at Wincanton in recent days.

But it took several minutes study of the photo-finish before the judge called Imperial Alcazar the winner by the tiniest of noses from Coconut Splash.

"I'd have settled for a dead-heat," admitted the trainer. "But whether we had won or not he'd have run a great race as he's a big baby, he was third at the last and Paddy got him rolling."

Reflecting on his run of form, O'Brien said: "Long may it last!

"We are still between yards. It has been very hard work for everyone but it's all about timing and Cheltenham on Friday was my best day's racing ever."
David Carr

First treble at Wincanton for Andrews

Bridget Andrews starred for her brother-in-law Dan Skelton as the combined for a 107-1 treble from I'd Better Go Now, Avarchie and Aweeminit at Wincanton.

Both Andrews, now Mrs Harry Skelton, and the winning trainer have had quieter summers unsurprisingly after last season's sensational 205 winners.

"It was a very quiet summer for me and wedding plans did take over a little," said Andrews.

I'd Better Go Now justified well-supported favouritism in the opening handicap hurdle but there was a slice of luck about Avarchie's success in the novice hurdle as Namib Dancer blundered away his advantage at the last.

Although Andrews, who was not quite so sure, said: "I thought he might catch him anyway as he was getting rolling and it took a while for me to pull him up."

Andrews told the racecourse MC Robert Bellamy after her double that Aweeminit was her best ride, and she produced a cool performance to deliver the diminutive mare with her one run at the last and just hold off favourite Now Look At Me.

Maxwell looking for amateur gold again

Champion amateur rider David Maxwell showed just how much he wants to retain his title as he forced favourite Dolphin Square home by a short-head from Kiltealy Briggs in the 2m5f½f novice hurdle.

With Ben Jones having shed his amateur status, Maxwell, whose 18 wins last title season saw him beat Sam Waley-Cohen by seven, is in pole position.

Maxwell, 41, had ominous words for any rivals as he said: "I have a huge amount to look forward to but it's taken time to get a team of this quality together."

Winning trainer Philip Hobbs is delighted to be helping Maxwell, paying tribute to a man he sees as following in the footsteps of great American amateur George Sloan, who financed his own successful tilt at the title.
Bruce Jackson