Jetsetting Maxwell out of luck in his long-range double bid

Jetsetting amateur jockey David Maxwell was out of luck on his audacious bid to win a race at Britain's most southerly and northerly courses on Wednesday.

His first mount on his long day was Vivaldi Collonges but he could finish only a distant third in the hunter chase at Newton Abbot.

Maxwell, who is aiming to become champion amateur, then flew up to Scotland and having arrived at Perth with an hour to spare had plenty of time to walk the course.

He fared no better, though, for his mount Mendip Express came home only fifth behind the remarkable 14-year-old Creevytennant in the final race which took place just over four hours after the one at Newton Abbot.

Planes, trains and automobiles

Newton Abbot to Perth

By car: eight hours, 11 minutes
By train: eight hours, 58 minutes
By plane: one hour 30 minutes

Speaking before that spin, Maxwell, a racing enthusiast who owns the horses, said: "It's a long way and you've got to fly, but it's possible and with half an hour to spare I'd say. I'll be away from here by 5pm and take off at 5.20pm from Exeter, then it's an hour and ten minutes to Edinburgh, and then an hour from there – no problem!"

Trailing leaders Zac Baker and Lorcan Williams in the race to become champion, Maxwell added on At The Races: "We're three behind, but more importantly there are only 20 or so races to run these horses in this season so we've got to get them out and running or it's going to be a long summer."

Trainer Philip Hobbs, who is hopeful Mendip Express can make the trip worthwhile for Maxwell, said: "Hopefully he has a very good chance.

"Fergal O'Brien's horse looks to be the main danger and it looks like he'll [Creevytennant] probably make the running, so we'll take it from there."

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