NEWBURY FRIDAY

UNOWHATIMEANHARRY, winner of the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle in 2016 and second last year, may not be quite the force of old but he was still good enough to oblige again in yesterday’s feature. The oldest winner of the race at 10, he led between the last two flights and steadily drew away from Clyne and The Mighty Don, justifying 11/4 favouritism in the process.

Monbeg Theatre made the running without jumping well, while northern challenger Sam Spinner, tracking him, was always being pushed along by Joe Colliver. The runners bunched up in the straight but Momella came down and Sam Spinner, very tired, unseated Colliver. Clyne kept on gamely but Barry Geraghty, seizing his opportunity on Unowhatimeanharry in the J.P. McManus colours, sent him on and soon settled the issue. The cheekpieces seemed to help.

“The conditions were all in his favour because he was conceding weight last year and receiving it here, which makes a big difference,” McManus said. “But he’s a real star. Harry Fry has done well to get his enthusiasm back and he was very happy with him today.”

The race may not have a much of a bearing on the World Hurdle but the crowd gave the winner a heart-warming reception. For his part, Fry has sent out Unowhatimeanharry to win 11 of his 16 races since the gelding arrived at the yard.

GENEROUS PRICE

Given that he was beaten only a short head by the in-form First Assignment at Cheltenham last time, Tony Carroll’s Vive Le Roi started at a surprisingly generous 14/1 in the concluding Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle over three miles.

In front a long way out for Harry Bannister, he held the strong late challenge of Rockpoint and must have been an outright good thing when winning a selling hurdle at Stratford a couple of runs ago.

Earlier on the card Gary Moore continued his good form with a wide margin win for Knockanuss, who was ridden by son Jamie in the Ladbrokes Chase, a limited handicap for novices. The 11/2 shot was clear at the last when his closest pursuer The Last Day fell.

Another in-form trainer Ben Pauling took the opening Ladbrokes National Hunt Maiden Hurdle with Bright Forecast (20/1), who was a neck too good for Oliver Sherwood’s Sevarano.