Chepstow & Ffos Las

THE jump season began in earnest in Wales last weekend, with the traditional curtain-raiser at Chepstow on Saturday followed by the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las the following day.

The big races were both marked for export, however, and star of the weekend was Sam Ewing, who had only two booked rides in Wales.

He won both the Native River Handicap Chase for Peter Fahey on the popular veteran Peregrine Run and the Welsh Champion Hurdle the following day on Effernock Fizz for Cian Collins.

Ewing showed great patience on Peregrine Run, delaying his challenge until the last fence, and getting the better of a short tussle with favourite Tea Clipper to win by a neck, while he showed another side to his riding by dictating a fairly sedate pace on Effernock Fizz at Ffos Las, only quickening things up after the home turn, and able to withstand late challenges from market leaders Milkwood and Severance with a little to spare.

Tom Lacey’s stable jockey Harry Cobden rode both.

ROBBIE Dunne made a winning return from a 10-month suspension as he partnered the Ian Williams-trained Ernesto to victory at Hereford on Tuesday.

Dunne was found to have bullied and harassed fellow jockey Bryony Frost, although he had his original ban reduced from 18 months on appeal.

Ernesto, one of three rides on the card for the returning Dunne, was returned at 11/4.

Frost has been on the sidelines since falling at the Grand National meeting in April but also made a successful comeback when riding Amanda Perrett’s 14/1 chance Zikany at Goodwood on Sunday, in a race confined to professional jump jockeys.

In the absence of a statement from the winning rider, it was left to Sam Twiston-Davies to summarise the mood in the weighing room.

“Obviously, it is great to see him have a winner” said Twiston-Davies when asked for his feelings on the matter.

“Everyone gets on with everyone at the end of the day. It was nice to see Bryony have her first winner after an injury and then Robbie back from his ban.

“At the end of the day, he is a very well-liked member of the weighing room, as is Bryony, and it is nice to have them back riding winners.

“The weighing room is a different place but at the end of the day we all have to try and work together and beat each other.”

Sebastopol (Sam Sheppard) won the Listed Dunraven Windows Novices’ Chase, although he was left with a simple task when both Interne de Sivola and McFabulous were withdrawn, and the good-to-firm ground did not help the field sizes over the two days.

Despite having to withdraw McFabulous, Paul Nicholls enjoyed a double courtesy of Flic Ou Voyou in the John Ayres Memorial Chase and Knappers Hill in the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle.