'I get a huge kick out of training him' - Not So Sleepy stars at Ascot again

The Unibet Champion Hurdle beckons for the remarkable Not So Sleepy after he recorded back-to-back wins in the £100,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy from a perch 15lb higher than 12 months ago.

In the interim, Lady Blyth's homebred won on the Flat at Pontefract, but had to recover from a somewhat ugly unseat in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last time.

"He's an absolute star and has actually been well behaved since he went to Newcastle," said trainer Hughie Morrison. "He's been more amenable and we've even got him on the grass gallops twice without him throwing himself on the ground."

Not So Sleepy, providing jockey Tom O'Brien with another sweet Saturday success after he won the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Coole Cody, is a general 50-1 for the Champion Hurdle, which he was pulled up in last season.

"He won at Nottingham first time out as a two-year-old and here we are six seasons later, while he's also won a Derby trial and a decent handicap at Epsom on Oaks day in 2017," Morrison went on.

"I get a huge kick out of training him and not many jumpers are homebreds; he didn't cost £575,000 as a point-to-pointer! He's a homebred who's been through the mill – what did he have today, 15lb more than last year?

"I don't think he's quirky and when he's right he's very good, but when he's not right, he just thinks, 'Sod it'. I think what happened at Newcastle was unfortunate, but maybe it helped us."

Bennys King comes home stronglyCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Bennys the king for Mezzone family

Kidderminster-based car salesman Graham Mezzone, in Dan Skelton's words, "puts his heart and soul into racing", so it was no wonder the trainer was pleased with the victory of Bennys King in the 2m3f chase – a success the owner played a part in.

The nine-year-old, ridden by Skelton's brother Harry, also had the option of the Silver Cup on the card, but connections plumped for the shorter contest.

"I had a good chat with Graham and we decided to come for this race," explained Skelton. "I'm chuffed to bits for him and his family because they've had a bit of a slow start to the season and things haven't hit the ground running, so this is a big win. I'm delighted for them.

"They've four horses with me and the family get real enjoyment out of racing, so this is a big moment for them."

Dashel Drasher with another fine leap on his way to a stylish victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Not a lot of runners pleases Scott

Three-runner graduation chases are not a turn on for everyone, but Jeremy Scott was grateful the race appeared on this card and he was even more pleased to see Dashel Drasher strike.

Capable over hurdles, Dashel Drasher went chasing last season, winning once from three starts, which meant his novice status had expired, but he had not had much practice.

"This was the target," Scott said. "I think there were only two graduation chases that remotely ticked the boxes, one at Haydock and here.

"We were so low on experience that I wanted to stick to this small-runner field to get experience. It paid off, although I wasn't expecting it to."

Results, replays and analysis

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