Queen wears Listed crown
Saturday 20 December 2014
The Pirate’s Queen came out on top after a thrilling tussle with Bitofapuzzle to take Listed honours in the Swift SFM Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock Park.
The unbeaten Bitofapuzzle proved a tough customer, but Denis O’Regan produced the Alan King-trained winner (11-8) with a patient run to get her head in front close home for a neck verdict.
The pair pulled seven and a quarter lengths ahead of Rons Dream in third.
O’Regan said: “She jumped great through the race, apart from the third-last.The ground was way too deep for her. I only had to hope that it wouldn’t turn into too much of a stamina battle.Thankfully she had enough class to win in the end. She’ll be a lovely mare in the spring.”
Sleepy Haven reaped the benefit of a seasonal reappearance at Sandown two weeks ago after a near eight-month absence to run out a ready winner of the Joel Murray Handicap Hurdle.
Jason Maguire brought the Jennie Candlish-trained four-year-old to lead at the second-last after the pacesetting Circus Star made a bad mistake, and the9-2 shot quickly put the race to bed to score by seven lengths from Attwaal.
“He ran very well in a Listed race at Sandown two weeks ago. He needed the run as our horses had been sick,” said Candlish’s assistant Alan O’Keeffe.”I thought he got a fabulous ride. Jason was very patient on the ground.
” The tongue-tie has helped him tremendously.He’ll probably go jumping fences sooner rather than later.He’s schooled well at home and we might make use of his four-year-old allowance in a chase if we can find a race before the New Year.”
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