Tuesday 20 January 2015 18:11, UK
A review of the Wetherby action, where new British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Nick Rust was among the winners.
Nick Rust had his colours carried to victory for the first time since his appointment as Stickleback toughed it out in the wetherbyracing.co.uk Handicap Hurdle.
Formerly the managing director of retail for Ladbrokes, Rust officially took over the reins of British racing's regulator from the departing Paul Bittar on Monday.
Stickleback, a maiden after 20 previous outings, was a 10/1 shot for her latest assignment and looked booked for minor honours when 3/1 favourite Minella Bliss moved ominously to the lead in the straight.
However, the market leader produced a tired leap at the final flight and Stickleback took full advantage under Wilson Renwick, running on to score by a length and three-quarters.
Conditional jockey Kyle James was handed a two-day suspension (February 3 and 4) for using his whip above the permitted level on the third-placed Nalim.
Winning trainer Micky Hammond said: "That was very good and Wilson gave her a superb ride.
"She's been difficult to win with and was on and off the bridle. Maybe it was just her turn today."
Rust was unsurprisingly not on hand to greet his winner, with Hammond saying: "He has plenty to do, I believe!
"I spoke to him this morning, he's enjoying the job and this is his first winner since he took over, so it's great.
"He's a superb owner and I feel he will do a good job at the BHA, but he needs to be given the time to do the job.
"He's a good listener and a quick thinker."
Hammond and Renwick were also on the mark in the second division of the Bramham Hall For Conferences & Events Handicap Hurdle as 7/1 shot Rayadour struck gold at Wetherby for the third time.
Devilment may have earned himself a place among John Ferguson's Cheltenham Festival squad following a runaway victory in the Watch On 3 Devices racinguk.com/anywhere Juvenile Maiden Hurdle.
The son of Cape Cross was all the rage as the 2/5 favourite after filling the runner-up spot on his jumping bow at Plumpton and barely came off the bridle in the hands of Tony McCoy, passing the post with four lengths in hand over Lucky Jim.
McCoy said: "It probably wasn't a great race, but he did it nicely.
"I don't think he needed to improve on his first run to win today, but he's a horse that enjoys his jumping, so I'm glad he's won."
Asked whether Devilment could get a Cheltenham entry, Ferguson's assistant, Alex Merriam, said: "He could do. He was very good there and ran well the last day.
"John is away in America, so we'll see what he says when he gets home."
Sky Bet cut Devilment's odds for the Triumph Hurdle from 33/1 to 25/1.
The champion jockey later steered the Jonjo O'Neill-trained 11/10 favourite Beg To Differ to a workmanlike success in the Download New Racing UK iPad App "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.
Trainer Lucinda Russell also enjoyed a double on the afternoon, with Clondaw Knight completing the brace with a demolition of his rivals in the feature New Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Handicap Chase.
Stepped up to three miles for the first time, the 10-year-old shot sauntered clear under a confident Peter Buchanan, winging the final fence to seal a 14-length success over Swing Hard.
Russell's partner and assistant, Peter Scudamore, said: "As a horse that cost a lot of money (£140,000), there was always a lot of pressure on him.
"Pete (Buchanan) always said we should just give him time and we always knew he wanted three miles, he was just never strong enough to go that far.
"There are a lot of downs in this game, but this is a big up."
Russell had earlier appeared slightly stunned after 5/1 shot Rowdy Rocher came good in the totepool Medieval Day - Saturday 31st January Handicap Chase for Graham Watters, beating game front-runner Free World by seven lengths.
Russell said: "I didn't expect the meeting to be on, I didn't expect to run him in a chase on his next run and I didn't expect him to win, so it's all a bit of a surprise!
"He hasn't been jumping well, so I entered him to run over hurdles at Doncaster later in the week, but we decided to run here and Graham gave him a lovely ride."
Having been as big as 8/1 when betting opened, Mick Easterby's 9/2 shot Billy Two Tongues and top amateur Harry Bannister landed a touch in the first division of the Bramham Hall For Conferences & Events Handicap Hurdle.
The trainer's son and assistant, David Easterby, said: "I think we've been getting his trip wrong, running him over three miles and further. Two and a half miles on slow ground today has suited him better.
"He's in the sales at Doncaster on January 27, so that should increase his reserve and encourage the owners to keep him or someone else to buy him. You couldn't fault his attitude."
