'They'll be shouting from the hilltops' - El Muchacho ends luckless spell for relieved Harriet Dickin

A combination of relief and joy filled the air in Plumpton’s winner’s enclosure after El Muchacho ended a luckless spell for Harriet Dickin with victory in the 2m1f novice handicap chase.

Having relocated to Bath in November, Dickin had sent out 54 runners without success, with 12 finishing second, but she got off the mark with a new recruit whom she’d had for only two weeks.

“We moved just south of Bath back in November and we’ve had a lot of seconds – I mean a lot!” said Dickin’s mum Claire.

“It’s been really frustrating, so poor Harriet, but we're delighted to get one on the board. There'll be a party going on tonight I would think. They’ll be shouting from the hilltops!”

El Muchacho jumped well under Bradley Harris, who was completing a double having won on Hilltown earlier on the card, to land a first success over fences.

“It’s lovely to have the opportunity to have some new horses in the yard and Brad’s joined us as well as conditional, and he’s very much worth his claim,” she said.

“We’ve only had him [El Muchacho] for a couple of weeks and we’re learning about him all the time, but fair play to Bradley, he gave him a very good ride and his jumping was impeccable.”

Feature success

It may not have been Elixir De Nutz at the Cheltenham Festival, but Joe Tizzard still ended the season with a Champion Chase victory on his CV after Scarface took the Sussex equivalent in style.

Positioned just behind the favourite I’d Like To Know by Brendan Powell, the seven-year old took over the lead with two fences to jump and kept on well to draw four and a half lengths away from last year’s winner Black Gerry.

Joe Tizzard: "I think there’s more to come"Credit: Edward Whitaker

Tizzard said: “He took two or three runs to really get the hang of jumping, but the last two runs he’s travelled and jumped well. Today was smooth all the way, he looked the winner some way out.

“I always thought he’d improve for fences. John and Kevin [Waterworth and Leggett, owners] stuck their neck on the line and he’s repaying them well, and I think there’s more to come.

“He’ll have to go up in grade after that. He’s still a novice this year, so we’ll probably take him to Sandown at the end of the season and then step him up in trip next year.”

Moore memories

Plumpton provided Jamie Moore, who retired from the saddle in February after a 23-year career, with another moment to savour as the former jockey was gifted a collage of memories after the second race on the card, which was named in his honour.

Moore presented the connections of Rollo’s Kingdom, winner of the Thank You Jamie Moore Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, with their prize alongside his family before jockeys emerged from the weighing room to lead a raucous round of applause from those in and around the winner’s enclosure.

A message on the big screen before the race read: “Thank you Jamie Moore. 112 Plumpton wins for us to look back on fondly! Here’s to the racing memories that will last a lifetime.”

As well as stopping Moore for plenty of photos, racegoers had the opportunity to write a message in a book dedicated to Moore outside the weighing room, with people reminiscing about his rides and offering him their best wishes for the future.

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.