Saint Arvans unscathed after fall as he makes his own way back to the stables

Wednesday: Wetherby

Saint Arvans burnt a few fingers when crashing out in the feature race but was so unfazed he made his way back to the stables all on his own.

The Maurice Barnes-trained 13-8 favourite was matched at 1.2 in running on Betfair after taking the lead at the final fence in the Bobby Renton Chase, only to come down on landing.

Rather than gallop off round the track, he knew exactly where to go. Joint-owner Alison Lee, a veterinary surgeon based near Lancaster, said: "He hopped over the gate at the end and went back to the stables – he's not daft!"

Jockey Brian Hughes reflected: "It was one that got away. It's a shame as they're good northern owners and it would have been great to win a Bobby Renton for Maurice. He didn't even make a mistake, he knuckled on landing. He'd have won."

Lee took defeat well and said: "They're both all right, that's the main thing. I've had racehorses since the mid-1970s and I've had much worse happen, we've had quite a few disasters and we've had some quite nice times."

Saint Arvans' departure handed victory to Tardree, whose jockey Adam Wedge admitted: "Fortune favoured us today. I don't know what would have happened if Brian had stood up, but I don't think my lad would have stopped galloping."

Joint-owner Alison Lee: 'They're both all right, that's the main thing'Credit: David Carr

Hughes sympathises over small fields

Hughes still left with a double on Vintage Valley (juvenile hurdle) and Caius Marcius (3m hurdle) on a day when only 32 runners contested the seven races.

A sympathetic champion jockey said: "It's good to firm but there's a lovely covering of grass and what can you expect?

"Winter tracks can't be putting too much water on, then you end up suffering down the line. Being a clerk of the course is a tricky job, you're never going to please everybody."

Another win for Wynne

In-form 7lb claimer Toby Wynne took the 1m7f chase on El Borracho to make it three wins from his last four rides.

The 19-year-old, whose father Steve rode 174 winners over jumps between 1990 and 2002, is in his first season as a conditional jockey and his ninth victory of 2022-23 means he is already two ahead of his best tally as an amateur.

"I can't complain with how things are going," he said. "I'm getting the chances. I've had a few nice rides off people and hopefully it will keep going forward."

Wynne, who is attached to El Borracho's joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, said: "I've been at the yard for three or four years, I used to ride out in the morning before school. This was always the aim, although I did a bit of showjumping as a kid and pony racing.

Toby Wynne: the in-form conditional rode his ninth winner of the season on El BorrachoCredit: David Carr

"I get plenty of advice from my dad, he's a big help, and I've got a lot of really good people around me, like my jockey coach Brian Harding, the team at home and Ollie and Josh who are very good to me."

Asked whether he had a crack at the conditional jockeys' title in his sights, Wynne said: "The way it's going I don't see why not but I've got to stay injury free and keep getting plenty of rides."

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