'I’m delighted to get one for Ian' - Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer ends two-year wait for winner
Joe Williamson was pleased to end Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Ian Duncan’s two-year wait for a winner when landing the opening 2m1f conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle on Celestial Fashion.
Williamson had ridden Celestial Fashion to finish second at Sedgefield on her last two starts and the six-year-old went one better when beating odds-on favourite Polisud by half a length.
“It’s great to get a winner on that mare because it’s taken a little bit of time for her to learn to race and see her races out,” Williamson told Sky Sports Racing.
“She’s been second the last twice, probably to a couple of horses that have been a bit progressive and ahead of their marks.”
It had been 803 days since Duncan, who won the 2005 National Hunt Chase with Another Rum, saddled Jessiemac to win at Catterick in January 2022.
On helping to end Duncan’s drought at the track where the trainer won the 2015 Eider Chase with Milborough, Williamson added: “She’s seen it out really nicely and I’m delighted to get one for Ian.”
Happy Hughes
Beneficially Yours finished a place behind subsequent Morebattle Hurdle winner Cracking Rhapsody on his rules debut at Carlisle in December and got off the mark in impressive fashion when taking the 2m4½f maiden hurdle by 51 lengths.
Success on the Donald McCain-trained six-year-old initiated a double for Brian Hughes, who landed the feature 2m4½f handicap hurdle on Rafferty’s Return for Rebecca Menzies.
Worthwhile journey
An eight-hour round trip paid off for Edgcote-based Alex Hales when Has Troke won the 2m7½f novice handicap chase under Kielan Woods for the trainer's racing club.
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Published on 26 March 2024inReports
Last updated 18:21, 26 March 2024
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