Newbury Saturday

SIOG Geal (Fergal O’Brien/Jonathan Burke), the 5/2 market leader, landed the Grade 2 BetVictor British EBF “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Final at Newbury on Saturday, confirming previous promise, and proving her opening mark to be a lenient one.

Never far off the gallop on her first start beyond two miles, Siog Geal was produced to challenge early in the straight when travelling strongly, survived her one error at the penultimate flight and responded well to pressure to beat the fast-finishing La Pinsonniere (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) by half a length.

O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing: “We always felt the step up in trip would help. She’s a special mare and we’ve always loved her. She wasn’t cheap, but the people I bought her off said I robbed her; she does look cheap now.

“This was always the plan. She was placed in her listed bumper at Cheltenham and has now won a graded hurdle, so I’m delighted.”

O’Brien and Burke doubled their tally on the card, when taking the John Haine Memorial Novices’ Hurdle with 1/3 favourite John Barbour, to the obvious delight of the assembled members of the Old Gold Racing Club.

Kadastral for Skeltons

The big race at Newbury last weekend in terms of prize money was the Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper, an early-closing contest that is more valuable than the Grade 1 equivalent at Cheltenham. Victory went to the well-supported 9/2 second-favourite Kadastral (Dan/Harry Skelton), who was produced from off the pace to lead around a quarter of a mile from home and the son of Cokoriko kept on strongly to win by three and a quarter lengths from the promising newcomer Talk The Talk (Stuart Crawford/James Bowen).

Both winner and second (who Daryl Jacob told me is likely to be put away until next season) have the looks and breeding to do well over hurdles, with Kadastral coming from the family of Welsh Grand National winner Raz De Maree.

Talk The Talk was the pick of the paddock in terms of scope and ran very well, despite showing clear signs of greenness in the race itself. He wouldn’t want risking on ground any firmer than he experienced here, showing plenty of knee action.

Kelso Saturday

THE Listed Beeswing Mares’ Hurdle at Kelso was won by Lavida Adiva (Ruth Jefferson/Brian Hughes).

The 5/1 chance took advantage of a below-par run from favourite Wyenot to score comfortably from Ottizzini (Stuart Crawford/JJ Slevin), with the winning margin adjudged to have been nine lengths.

Assessing the win, Ruth Jefferson told ITV: “We thought Lavida Adiva would like the longer trip and, if she stayed and could cope at this level, we could look at a similar race at Ayr.”

Elsewhere on the card, Lucinda Russell cemented her place as the leading trainer at the track, when Starlyte landed the Ladbrokes Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle under Patrick Wadge. The 12/1 shot was providing Russell with her 150th winner at Kelso.

The valuable “Herring Queen” Mares’ Novice Series Final went to 22/1 shot Leloopa, who scored under conditional rider Tom Broughton and was one of a pair of winners on the card for trainer Fergal O’Brien, who also had a brace at Newbury to cap a fine weekend.

Round The Tracks

ROAD To Home (Willie Mullins) allowed Patrick Mullins to tick off Hexham in his odyssey of Britain’s racecourses, with the six-year-old son of Gamut winning a maiden hurdle at the Northumberland venue on Tuesday at odds of 2/9.