VETERAN chasers are popular and sometimes race for rather a lot of money.

The Don Sebastian Partnership picked up nearly £62,000 when Charlie Longsdon’s Pete The Feat, having passed his 13th birthday, stayed on gallantly to win the 32Red Veterans’ Handicap Chase over three miles at Sandown.

Colin Tizzard was not far away again with Theatrical Star, who chased the winner all the way to the line and was beaten by only two lengths, with Longsdon also saddling the third, Loose Chips.

Loose Chips made the running and kept on well as far as the Pond Fence but his stable-companion took over and made the best of his way home for Aidan Coleman.

Theatrical Star was close enough all the way up the straight but could find no more on the climb to the line. The crowd accorded these fine old characters the sustained applause they richly deserved.

Pete The Feat, 20/1, one of only two 13-year-olds in the field, had slipped 19lb in the ratings from his highest winning mark and this was his first victory for over three years. The stewards asked about the improvement, which Longsdon was unable to explain.

“I thought he was a 16/1 shot, not 33s in the morning, but we haven’t had a winner since the middle of December. If we’d been in form they’d both probably have been half the price,” the trainer said.

“Pete The Feat is still full of enthusiasm, so why retire him? Wilf Rayer, who is in his early 70s, rides him very day and lets him get away with murder. That keeps him as sweet as he is.”

Owner John White decided Dynaste had done enough after watching David Pipe’s 3/1 market leader finish seventh.

The popular grey won seven races and prize-money amounting to around £600,000, one of his two Grade 1 successes coming in the Ryanair at Cheltenham.

White promised five-star treatment for the old horse at Pipe’s, where he may lead some of the youngsters on the gallops.

Coleman was completing a double, having won the opening juvenile hurdle On Tom Symonds’ 7/1 chance Don Bersy, who upset 3/1 on favourite Coeur De Lion strictly on merit. Even allowing for one of two slipshod jumps, Alan King’s runner-up did very little for the form of his Chepstow second to Defi Du Seuil, favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

MARES’ HURDLE

Few Saturdays go by without a Paul Nicholls-trained winner and the champion trainer delighted his followers by sending out 11/4 joint-favourite Lifeboat Mona to beat Midnight Jazz and take the Listed 32Red.com Mares’ Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Once again, several of those ridden close to the pace on quite testing ground were still right there in the closing stages. Eventual fourth Desert Queen led and went clear for Noel Fehily but Midnight Jazz wore her down before the second last flight.

The runner-up did nothing wrong but Lifeboat Mona was soon in front when they landed over the last and went away to score by three lengths with the other joint-favourite, Briery Queen, only a head behind in third. The winner, who was stepping out of handicap company, looks the sort to go well in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

JOCKEYS’ TITLE

Richard Johnson appears to be closing in on his second jockeys’ title and he recorded a stylish success on Philip Hobbs’ 6/4 favourite Garde La Victoire in the 32Red Casino Handicap Chase, quickly mastering De Faoithesdream three out and keeping the top-weight going to account for Bold Henry by a couple of lengths. The winner, who was carrying 11st 12lb, jumped well in the main. Sarah Hobbs said he would be staying over fences now that he has got his confidence back.

Favourite backers were also happy when Amy Murphy saddled 7/2 shot Mercian Prince to land the handicap chase over two and a half miles and Nicky Henderson’s Maestro Royal got up close home for David Bass to lift the last at 15/2.