No hairdryer treatment for Lorcan Williams as he gives Fergie a winner

Saturday: Wetherby

Defying the boss is rarely a good idea when Sir Alex Ferguson is involved, but Lorcan Williams is unlikely to get the hairdryer treatment.

He went against riding instructions on Lakota Warrior, who – like Paddy Power Gold Cup runner-up Protektorat – is owned by a partnership that includes the former Manchester United manager.

But it paid off as he made all in the £20,000 introductory hurdle on a Dan Skelton-trained 9-2 shot, whose prospects changed when Rory And Me was withdrawn at the start.

Sir Alex Ferguson after Protektorat's second place in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It was a change of plan," Williams said. "Dan told me to take a lead because he has been a bit hard on the bridle. But the original horse who was going to make the running was out and no-one wanted to go forward.

"He's run in a point-to-point and a hurdle and I know him as I've ridden him quite a bit at home and he's an out-and-out galloper.

"I didn't want it to turn into a sprint so I thought I'd make the running: every time they got to him he was going on and it worked out perfectly."

Forty per cent strike-rate

Fransham is a combined two from five for the Andrews family after scoring a first success over fences in the £14,000 novice handicap chase.

He won a hurdle race under Gina Andrews here last December and returned to score a fifth course victory with her brother Jack on board.

"Jack is a good jockey," said trainer Pam Sly. "I used to know his father when he was riding and they've all ridden winners for me, Gina, Bridget and Jack. They're a great family and great horse people."

Jack Andrews, who won the point-to-point title in 2020, said: "Things are going really well. I'm very grateful to Pam, she's always given me plenty of opportunities and on some really nice horses.

Jack Andrews: 'Things are going really well'

"He's rated 136 and I was really pleased with him. I was a bit dubious from his hurdling career whether he would take to chasing, he's not the biggest or the most scopey, but fences have really made him think about it and he's very accurate with his jumping."

Sly added: "He had a very bad fall at Aintree with Gina and he broke the top bit off a vertebra. But he's jumping all right. He seems to like it here and I'd love to come back here for something but the money's so poor."

One and done

Jonjo O'Neill struck with his only runner anywhere in the country on Paddy Power Gold Cup day when Palmers Hill got the better of some experienced handicappers on just his second chase start.

The eight-year-old had raced only four times since winning the conditional jockeys' hurdle at the Cheltenham November meeting in 2018, but was ninth in the Coral Cup at the festival last March and took the 2m3½f race here by a length and a quarter.

"It's a long time since he won at Cheltenham but he showed a good aptitude for that," said jockey Tom Scudamore.

"He showed good resolution and did it okay. It was a competitive enough race. It was a good effort and he jumped very well in the main. I hope he can go on to bigger and better things."

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