Hermes Allen looks cut from superior cloth for Sir Alex Ferguson and Nicholls

Saturday: Stratford

Sir Alex Ferguson's pointing recruit Hermes Allen looked the premiership act on the card when making all to land the 2m6f maiden hurdle.

The £350,000 purchase sluiced through a heavy shower to justify odds of 8-13 under Bryony Frost and he looks a smart recruit for Paul Nicholls.

The five-year-old won the second of his point-to-points by five lengths in Ireland last year and looks an exciting prospect for the syndicate headed by the former Manchester United manager.

Nicholls said: "He's a nice horse for the future. He's not flashy at home but obviously keeps more for the track."

Sea sinks gamble

Man Of The Sea defied a pre-race drift to 11-1 (from 3) in the morning to deny a gamble on My Poem in the opening 2m½f female jockeys' handicap hurdle.

Neil Mullholland's chestnut was a prolific winner in Jersey but showed he is just as effective closer to home when coming from off the pace under 7lb claimer Thomasina Eyston.

Although many punters lost faith in Man Of The Sea those who stuck with the winner in the race itself were rewarded with odds of 50-1 in running on Betfair.

40-1 shocker

The field bypassed a fence down the back straight in the 2m5f handicap chase but there were still three fallers, including joint-favourite and front-runner Midnight Jewel who exited at the last when still in contention.

His departure left Fairway Freddy clear to score at 40-1 for Nick Gifford and James Davies from the well-backed other joint-favourite Punxsutawney Phil.

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