Friday 17 April 2015 18:04, UK
A review of the action from Ayr on Friday, where Presenting Junior continued his remarkable progression with another victory.
Presenting Junior registered his fourth and most important course success of the season at Ayr in the feature Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase.
Winning for the seventh time since May, the Martin Todhunter-trained eight-year-old continued his progression through the ranks with an authoritative performance in the hands of Wilson Renwick.
Presenting Junior (7/1) started his spree off a mark of 90 some 11 months ago and defied a rating of 124 as he cast aside Firth Of The Clyde before the final fence before going on to score by a length.
The always-prominent Brave Spartacus was third, a further three-and-a-quarter lengths away.
"He likes Ayr and places like Hexham. He goes on any track really," said Todhunter. "I was delighted with his performance today. There's a race for him at Aintree in May and the Perth Gold Cup in June."
Ryan Hatch was taken to Ayr Hospital with a suspected wrist injury following a last-fence fall from Astracad.
"He was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays," said clerk of the course Emma Marley.
Jennys Melody (10/1) led home a Northern Ireland-trained one-two as she completed a hat-trick in the coral.co.uk Mares' Handicap Hurdle.
Peter Buchanan kept Benjamin Arthey's six-year-old up to her work to hold Killultagh Sarah from Colin McBratney's stable by a length and a half.
"I thought she was a bit high in the handicap for her first run against these seasoned professionals, but I was proved wrong," said the County Antrim handler.
"She's improved. Since she got her head in front, she's not looked back.
"I'll talk to the owner, but that might be it for the season. We'll be limited for options if we go up the handicap any more.
"She also wants a bit of cut in the ground. She's had seven runs and six have been across the water from Northern Ireland, so she's done plenty of travelling. She deserves a holiday.
"We'll look for a bit of black type as the owner would like to breed from her one day. We might look at a Grade Two in Down Royal."
Tony McCoy again demonstrated his brilliance with a typically enterprising ride to score on Capard King (11/2) in the Abbott Risk Consulting Novices' Handicap Hurdle.
The soon-to-retire record-breaking champion jockey was always in control on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding and never looked like being headed as he won by two and three-quarter lengths from U Name It.
Different Gravey (10/11 favourite) outclassed the opposition as he made it three wins from four starts over jumps in the West Sound Novices' Hurdle.
An untidy jump from the pacesetting Boite at the second-last allowed Nico de Boinville to send the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old into the lead. He put the race to bed and went on to score comfortably by eight lengths.
Aristo Du Plessis (8/1), trained by James Ewart, just held Ruler Of All by a nose in the QTS Handicap Hurdle in the hands of 5lb claimer Dale Irving.
Stuart Coltherd's Aye Well (2/1 favourite) led four out on the way to taking the Porcelanosa Scotland Novices' Limited Handicap Chase by two and three-quarter lengths from the front-running Pair Of Jacks under James Reveley.
The jockey was denied a double when he had to settle for second place on Arctic Count by 5lb claimer David Mullins on Wicked Spice (9/2 joint-favourite), trained by Nicky Richards, in the Seko Logistics Scotland Handicap Hurdle.
