Baywing thrives on marathon test to provide Day and Richards with big winner

Baywing, a horse whose career nearly ended before it ever began, gave trainer Nicky Richards and jockey Ryan Day their second big win of the season when romping home in the 4m½f Betfred Eider Chase.

The pair had teamed up to gain a somewhat fortunate win with Guitar Pete in the Caspar Caviar Handicap at Cheltenham in December.

This time there was no luck needed as Baywing travelled and jumped and then sprinted away from West Of The Edge after the last to score by a decisive four lengths.

It was only his second win over fences, the first was the Grade 2 Towton Novice Chase at Wetherby last season and Richards said: "The handicapper set him some stiff tasks after that. We've had a race like this in mind for him as I thought he would stay and he is a horse who wants plenty of give in the ground.

"I thought Ryan gave him a fine ride and I'm delighted for David and Nicky Robinson, who have around a dozen horses with me. They are fine supporters of northern jumping and they have had plenty of good horses with me like Simply Ned, Duke of Navan and Chidswell."

Might not be able to race

But Baywing nearly never made it to the course as David Robinson explained: "Brian Harding broke him in but found he kept going lame. So I took him to the vets and was told he had ringbone, which is a bony growth on his coffin bone, and that he might not be able to race and if he did he would have a short career.

"He then injured his hock by putting his leg through a rail, so had to have time off and got very fat. We weren't sure what to do with him, so I took him up to Greystoke for Nicky to see him and he suggested we should start on him, and he's never really looked back.

"He won four on the bounce over hurdles and this is his second win over fences. He needs heavy ground, so that determines where he runs, he is not a spring horse.

"We've been having a good season, winning with Simply Ned that day at Leopardstown after Min was disqualified was amazing. He is a horse who usually trains off after four runs but we are giving him a break and will aim him at Punchestown."

There was a sad postscript to the race as the Adrian Keatley-trained Thebarrowman was fatally injured after taking a heavy fall at the fourth fence from home.