3 minute read

Wolf Of Windlesham was the party pooper as the Stuart Edmunds-trained winner held off the late thrusts of Willie Mullins' Voix Du Reve and Paul Nicholls' Tommy Silver in the bet365 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

With the narrative of the day concentrating on the battle between Nicholls and Mullins, the Josh Moore-ridden winner had obviously not read the script.

Moore had him on the outside of Tommy Silver throughout while David Mullins dropped Voix Du Reve out in the rear.

Wolf Of Windlesham jumped the last two flights well and stole two lengths and while Tommy Silver and the fast-finishing Mullins favourite made him battle, the 7-1 winner had half a length in hand at the line.

Moore said: "I'm delighted with the horse, he's been well trained, he won a Grade Two earlier in the season and didn't like the ground when he went back in January so he's been saved for today.

"Stuart gave him a prep on the all-weather at Kempton where he won well and he's picked up a nice prize today."

Edmunds said: " He sank in the mud at Cheltenham so we gave him a sweetener on the Flat.

"We knew a stiff track would suit as he came up the hill at Cheltenham.

"I don't know about next season but he's well handicapped on the Flat.

"This better ground has helped his jumping as even when he won at Cheltenham he got a bit bogged down.

"Given he's only rated 70 on the Flat he could go to the Galway Festival, next year we might look at the Coral Cup.

"This has been the plan for him whereas some of the others it was an afterthought. He was fresher than most."

Emma Lavelle's Junction Fourteen (11-2) put in a spring-heeled display to make every yard of the running in the bet365 Josh Gifford Novices' Handicap Chase.

A Grade Two winner earlier in the season he had been off the track for well over 100 days after disappointing in soft ground at Ascot.

Reunited with Daryl Jacob and back on the good ground he loves, he put in some spectacular jumps on his way to a length-and-a-quarter success over Volnay De Thaix.

Antony stayed on for third.

Lavelle said: "It was actually very relaxing watching this race because I'm usually jumping up and down like a loony. He was always well placed by Daryl and he jumps really well.

"I thought we was a well-handicapped horse before today, but heaven knows what happens after this. He made all the running and was clear at the last, but as I said in my Racing Plus column, he's a really nice horse and we have been waiting for decent ground for him all winter.

"This is the first winner we have sent out from our new yard at Ogbourne Maizey, which we moved into on Monday, and I could not be more pleased. And I'm also thrilled that Richard Johnson has won the jockeys' title. He's the nicest guy. No-one deserves it more."

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