A review of the action from Chepstow

A review of the action from Chepstow where there were miles of smiles for the Pond House team of David Pipe and Tom Scudamore.

Dual bumper winner Taj Badalandabad got off the mark over hurdles to initiate a double on the afternoon for David Pipe and Tom Scudamore at Chepstow.

The Irish point-to-point graduate looked a smart recruit when winning successive races at Ffos Las in the spring, but proved a slightly disappointing favourite on his debut over timber at Wetherby at the start of the month.

Sent off an even-money favourite to atone for that reverse in an RAF Benevolent Fund Novices' Hurdle run in testing ground, Pipe's charge quickened clear from the home turn and was well on top as he passed the post four lengths clear of Quinlandio.

"It (the ground) has helped him. Having said that, I thought he ran really well at Wetherby last time in what turned out to be a good race," said Scudamore.

"Even on his Wetherby form he was entitled to win today. He's still young and he's still learning, but it was a very pleasing performance and hopefully he can go on from here."

The Pond House team were on target again in the AMSS Handicap Chase as Smiles For Miles survived one heart stopping error to win readily.

The 7-2 shot fenced well in the main and looked to have victory sewn up a long way from home.

However, he gave his supporters a real fright by making a mess of the fourth fence from the finish, but Scudamore managed to keep the partnership intact.

It was plain sailing for Smiles For Miles from there on in as he eased to a four-and-a-half-length victory over Cruising Bye.

Scudamore told At The Races: "It's a fine line between success and failure. Luckily he kept straight and he jumped brilliantly up until then. It's only his second run over fences, so he's entitled to miss one.

"The blinkers have helped focus him and given him a lot more confidence. All the way through he was travelling and it was a good performance."

The Anthony Honeyball-trained Rouquine Sauvage (10-1) finally got it together over obstacles in the JBPLC Mares' Handicap Hurdle.

The Fontwell bumper winner has proved bitterly disappointing since being snapped up by leading owner JP McManus, but she may have turned a corner judged on this emphatic nine-length success under Rachael Green.

"That was a great improvement from her other tries over hurdles," said the jockey.

"She's a very keen mare and hasn't been getting home. She had a wind operation over the summer and that's just what we wanted - to see her finish her race off.

"I'm not saying she had to be back to her best today, but it was a nice opportunity to get her switched off and teach her something."

Flintham (9-2) got his head in front for the first time under top-weight in the Royal Air Force Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

The five-year-old is a full-brother to Mark Bradstock's stable stalwart Carruthers and a half-brother to the yard's exciting youngster Coneygree.

Winning jockey Nico de Boinville said: "I'm really happy with that. Those cheek pieces made a real difference and it was first time in a handicap as well.

"He's from the Carruthers family and all they do is stay - they stay all day."

The Evan Williams-trained Islandmagee (6-4 favourite) gave conditional jockey Lewis Gordon his first ever winner with a 14-length success in the rafbf.org Handicap Chase.

Gordon said: "I couldn't believe how far clear I was. I was planning to drop him in, but he was too well and fresh and pulled my arms out."

The Sophie Leech-trained Kapricorne completed a hat-trick under a well-judged front-running ride from Paul Moloney in the 47 Squadron Handicap Hurdle.

Williams and Moloney were looking to complete doubles in the AMSS Atlas Handicap Hurdle, but strong-travelling favourite Oscar Sunset was unable to get by Matt Sheppard's 2-1 shot Rock On Rocky, ridden by Charlie Poste.