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Longsdon and Fehily rule with Law

Jockey Noel Fehily poses at Kempton Park racecourse on November 03, 2014
Image: Jockey Noel Fehily: Wetherby winner

Charlie Longsdon was fulsome in his praise for jockey Noel Fehily after he booted home Greenlaw to a first victory in almost three years at Wetherby.

Numerous injury problems have restricted the nine-year-old to just 15 previous competitive appearances, with his last triumph coming in a Towcester novice hurdle in the summer of 2012.

After failing to fire on his latest start at Newbury in December, Greenlaw was given a wind operation and it has worked the oracle judged on his determined success in the New Racing UK iPad App Handicap Chase.

The 100-30 favourite raced with plenty of zest throughout at the head of affairs and despite showing a tendency to jump to his right on occasions, he remained in pole position rounding the home turn.

Big Casino emerged as a major threat in the straight, with Vasco D'ycy also on the scene, but Greenlaw knuckled down after the final fence to beat the latter by a neck, with Big Casino just half a length away.

Longsdon said: "It was a power-packed ride from Noel and it was great to watch.

"It's plain to see this horse hasn't been the easiest to train and he's let us down a few times in the past, but he's had a wind operation since his last run and that's definitely helped him see out his race better.

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"He's come down to a workable mark and I'm delighted for his owners, who've been very patient with him.

"I don't have a plan in mind. He's not been a very sound horse so we'll take plenty of time with him."

Neil Mulholland enjoyed a double on the afternoon, initiated by Mr Burbidge (8-1) in the wetherbyracing.co.uk Handicap Hurdle.

The smart Flat performer has endured a disappointing start to his jumping career, but came good with a six-length victory in the hands of Mark Quinlan.

Mulholland said: "That was super. He's just starting to get his confidence.

"He was a good horse on the Flat, but after his first couple of runs over hurdles we were thinking 'what are we going to do with this lad?'.

"He ran in blinkers on the Flat and we kept them on, but he was just getting sick of life and when we took the blinkers off at home he started to come to himself.

"He needs the cheekpieces to help him concentrate at his hurdles."

Mulholland, who in a fortnight's time will saddle a leading Grand National contender in the shape of his Cheltenham Festival winner The Druids Nephew, was on the mark again in the bumper as Irish point-to-point graduate Shantou Village justified even-money favouritism in impressive style.

"When we bought him from the sales he was a big baby, so we gave him a bit of time," said the trainer.

"We haven't been overly-hard on him at home, but at the same time we knew he was fit enough and good enough to win a bumper. Today was about getting the job done and thankfully he has done.

"I don't think you'll see him again this season and I'd imagine he'll go straight over hurdles in the autumn.

"He's a nice horse."

Cowslip (7-2 favourite) completed a March hat-trick for trainer George Moore in the Watch On 3 Devices racinguk.com Handicap Hurdle.

"She's a game little thing and the horses are also coming right," said Moore.

"We'll keep going her going now, but she might go on the Flat rather than stay over hurdles as she has a great mark on the Flat."

Aristo Du Plessis (6-5 favourite) had no trouble following up last month's emphatic Catterick triumph as he dominated from the front in the Wear A Hat Day Supporting braintumourresearch.org Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Hurdle.

Speaking from Newcastle, winning trainer James Ewart said: "He's a nice little horse and he's learning his job all the time.

"He's already schooled well over fences and I think he'll make a lovely two-mile chaser next season.

"He's a tough and resilient little horse, so we might run him again at the Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr."

Just two runners went to post for the concluding Aidan Coleman Every Friday racinguk.com Mares' Hunters' Chase and prohibitively priced 1-12 favourite Executive Benefit was predictably a different class to her only rival Crazy Jane.

However, the race was not without drama, as Crazy Jane fell and the market leader had to survive a scare of his own at the second-last.

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