Lee Edwards wins battle of the pros as festival winner Hazel Hill strikes

Professional jockey Lee Edwards and the 13-year-old Hazel Hill won the first hunter chase since the suspension of amateur riders in Britain.

Edwards replaced his brother Alex in the saddle aboard the veteran, who won the Foxhunter at the Cheltenham Festival in 2019.

Amateur jockeys are classed as grassroots sports participants and were barred from riding in Britain last week under the government's Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Amateur jockeys barred in Britain from Saturday as BHA reveals rule changes

Speaking after Hazel Hill's victory, Lee Edwards said: "It's lovely when you've got as many gears as you need up the home straight, it's great to feel that occasionally. It felt just like a normal handicap really.

"It's great they can keep the hunter chases going and hopefully the amateurs can get back once this is all behind us and we can resume as normal."

Rose repeats the trick

Sandymount Rose took advantage of running off the same mark as she did when winning at Exeter 11 days earlier with an easy success in the 3m mares' handicap hurdle.

The seven-year-old got off the mark after five successive seconds in a conditionals' race on her previous start and therefore escaped a 7lb penalty here with Sam Twiston-Davies taking over in the saddle.

"I was delighted the opportunity was there for her to run again without the seven pound penalty," winning trainer Neil Mulholland said.

"She's a mare that's thriving at the moment and it great for her owner-breeders Jonathan Whymark and Paul Proudley because she had plenty of seconds early in her career. Many of those were just unfortunate and she's a genuine mare who loves her racing."

Results, replays and analysis

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