Horse who cheated death in summer lands Great Yorkshire Chase for Charlie Maggs and Richard Hobson

Docpickedme, a horse who cheated death in the summer, continued the great run of accidental partnership Charlie Maggs and Richard Hobson by landing an emotional win in the Virgin Bet Great Yorkshire Chase.

His 5lb-claiming partner had never ridden a chase winner until he answered the trainer's eleventh-hour call and won the Rowland Meyrick Chase on Some Scope at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Maggs was booked early this time and landed an even bigger prize as the 9-1 shot took this £100,000 handicap on a day laced with sadness as part-owner Barry Girling died last September.

Docpickedme himself might easily have died before then, as Hobson revealed: "He nearly lost his life in July. He got staked in the field, a branch or something went into his stomach, and we were very lucky, it was touch and go."

As it was, the nine-year-old was bursting with life here and won by two and a quarter lengths, albeit he was left clear when narrow leader Walking On Air fell at the last.

"He was so well, he was bursting out of his skin," Hobson said. "It was unlucky for the faller, but he would have battled. We have ten in training. We're a small stable but we keep punching above our weight.

"I was very keen to get Charlie booked early, he has brilliant hands. The owners were a bit unsure, but I've been in this game a long time and when I spot someone's good, he's good."

Slatter drives Car to victory 

Yellow Car, the £6,000 buy who turned out "far too slow for a bumper", hit the jackpot in a £75,000 race – although the stewards made him sweat.

The ex-point-to-pointer landed his third win of the season in the Grade 2 Pertemps Network River Don Novices' Hurdle under Nick Slatter, holding off Tom Bellamy on Moon Rocket by a neck.

But the first two went left on the run-in, and it took more than 15 minutes before the stewards confirmed the result.

"I'm thrilled," said joint-trainer Graeme McPherson. "He was cheap as chips to buy as a store. We bought him to have a bit of fun with point-to-pointing.

"This time last year we were thinking, where do we go with him? He's far too slow for a bumper. He won a point-to-point at the second attempt and he's got better and better.

"He shows nothing at home, he saves it all for the track. Nick gets on really well with him and he deserves a big win on his CV."

Slatter was riding his biggest winner and said: "This is brilliant. Just to ride a winner on ITV is huge for me, let alone a Grade 2 and a nice race. I'm over the moon.

"He's so tough. He keeps sticking his neck out. I don't think Tom was ever passing me. His horse has drifted away from mine and I've just followed him across. I don't think I caused him any interference." 

Jet power

Three months on from landing the Futurity by a nose with Hotazhell, Jessica Harrington got the better of another tight finish here as Jetara held on by a head in the Virgin Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle.

"I haven't been back since; I stood in the same place and I was nearly jumping over the hedge again!" said the trainer's daughter Kate.

Jetara is a 14-1 chance for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with William Hill after giving her trainer a second success in this Grade 2 event.

"We won it with Zarinava a number of years ago and it's nice prep, getting her head in front before going on to Cheltenham," Harrington said.

"I hope Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth go to the Champion Hurdle! But she's in the Stayers' Hurdle as well, and she saw out the three miles really well."  

Ringing the Bel

Bookmakers rarely pay out on moral winners, but at least those who backed Belfrina here last time got the satisfaction of knowing they were probably on the right one.

She looked sure to land odds of 4-9 in a juvenile fillies' maiden hurdle last month, only to fall at the last and hand victory to Matwana.

Those who went in again on the 5-4 favourite were able to collect this time as she confirmed her superiority over that rival, collecting a Listed contest by a length and a half.

Jack Tudor rode the winner for David Pipe and said: "She took a nasty enough fall last time, but it doesn't seem to have affected her mentally, which for a little filly is credit to her."

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