Less is more as favourites struggle to make an impact in small fields

With fewer than 30 runners lining up in the seven races and a string of short-priced favourites, it looked like being an uncompetitive day of action on Town Moor.

As it turned out, that could not have been further from the truth with odds-on market leaders turned over in the first three races, including two for the luckless Ben Pauling.

The first reverse for the trainer came in the 3m½f novices’ hurdle when 2-9 favourite Nadaitak, who sustained an overreach, was not quite able to force his way past Ratfacemcdougall.