THE Morebattle Hurdle has reverted to handicap status in recent years, but that hasn’t done any harm to the depth of field it has attracted, and the latest renewal was a cracker, with Benson kicking off the Thomson/Mania double by coming late to deny the strong-travelling Colonel Mustard (Lorna Fowler/Kieren Buckley) by two lengths, with L’Eau du Sud (Dan/Harry Skelton) third, beaten an aggregate of five and a half lengths.

The early pace was set by Patrick McKenna’s Wajaaha, who was still just in front running to the last, where he was headed by Colonel Mustard and weakened quickly, with a twisted shoe explaining his swift capitulation.

That left Colonel Mustard clear earlier than his rider would have wanted, and he looked to idle, allowing 11/1 chance Benson to join him halfway up the run-in.

No response

The runner-up rallied briefly when headed, but had no response to the winner’s late burst, for all he seemed to run a career best under top-weight of 12st, less Buckley’s 3lb claim.

The winner is in line for a £100,000 bonus if able to add either the Coral Cup or Martin Pipe to this success, and he incurs a 5lb penalty for this success.

Formerly a very useful handicapper for Dr Richard Newland, Benson seemed to lose his enthusiasm for hurdling, but a switch to Thomson’s Duns yard has seen that spark reignited, and he’s finished first or second on all five starts for the trainer and owner Jimmy Fyffe, whose pink and black silks are a familiar sight on Scottish tracks.

KELSO staged its best meeting of the season on Saturday, and local trainer Sandy Thomson and jockey Ryan Mania had most to smile about on the day after landing a double.

The second leg of that feat came via 4/1 shot Empire Steel in the Listed Bet365 Premier Chase, although it looked most unlikely for a long way, with a mistake at the fifth last of the 17 fences seeing the grey drop out of contention, as race favourite Le Milos (Dan/Harry Skelton) set sail for home from the pacesetting Wishing And Hoping.

The complexion of the race only changed when Wishing And Hoping weakened between the last two fences, and although Le Milos was then left clear, he too started sending out distress signals from the final fence.

Mania’s work on Empire Steel belatedly bore fruit, with the nine-year-old making up the best part of 10 lengths from the back of the last fence to get up from a tired Le Milos in the dying strides.

Qualifying

The winning margin was three-parts of a length, with The Shunter (Emmet Mullins/Donagh Meyler) six lengths away in third, but qualifying for the Grand National.

The winner was engaged in the Ultima at Cheltenham on Tuesday, but Thomson opined that it would come too soon, and he was subsequently not confirmed for that race, with the Scottish National stated as his primary aim.

Le Milos was reported to be just in need of the run by Dan Skelton, who was far from downhearted in the circumstances, and the gelding remains on course for the Grand National after this display.

Roseff takes the cash

Will Roseff is a betting industry veteran having taken the reins at his family’s business, H. Backhouse Limited, in the 1970s and in 2001 he was instrumental in setting up Bet365 as a world leader in online betting, becoming the firm’s financial director.

He retains a significant interest as a director and shareholder, and has long wanted to win a big race sponsored by the firm.

That wish came true on Saturday as his familiar purple and yellow silks were carried to victory in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle by Nemean Lion (Kerry Lee/Richard Patrick), with the son of Golden Horn prevailing by a length and three quarters at 4/1.

Colonel Harry (Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan), as expected, made the running, and he looked sure to play a big part in the finish when outjumping closest pursuer Snake Roll (Lucinda Russell/Derek Fox) at the penultimate flight, but Richard Patrick was merely biding his time on Nemean Lion, who loomed up between the last two before throwing down the strong challenge which took him to the front.

Snake Roll recovered from his error to regain third on the run-in from Feronily, albeit a further six lengths away.

Feronily was making his hurdles bow for Emmet Mullins, having shown plenty in bumpers, and he shaped well before fading from the final flight, while Lorna Fowler’s Banjaxed took the eye staying on steadily into fifth, and faring best of those to race off the pace. He’s a likeable sort who, as his name suggests, is out of a full-sister to Banjaxed Girl, herself the dam of Le Milos.

Newbury Saturday

THE Big Bite (Henry Oliver/Johnny Burke) landed a quiet gamble to lift the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury last Saturday, and although sent off the 12/1 outsider of the field, he had been much bigger overnight.

The 10-year-old by Scorpion was wearing first-time cheekpieces, and improved on his third in the corresponding event in 2021 as he got the better of a ding-dong tussle with the front-running Gemirande (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch).

The Big Bite took over three fences out, but Gemirande was in no mood to lie down, and kept battling, with just a head separating the pair at the line.

Victory on The Big Bite brought up a half-century of winners for the season for Johnny Burke, who can look forward to partnering those smart mares Love Envoi and Queens Gamble at the Cheltenham Festival next week.

Gavin Cromwell has his team in fine form and Sweet Will was a winner for the yard at Doncaster on Saturday, with Conor McNamara doing the steering in the Virgin Bet Daily Money Back Handicap Hurdle.

Flat action

On the flat, there was listed action on Lingfield’s Polytrack, where the Spring Cup was won by 11/8 favourite Iconic Moment (James Tate/Rossa Ryan), who edged out stable-companion New Definition (Tom Queally) by a short-head.