Moon Racer edges out Ballyandy at Perth
Thursday 22 September 2016 18:05, UK
Moon Racer just edged out Ballyandy in an enthralling tussle between the last two winners of Cheltenham's Champion Bumper in the Racing Post Readers Award Novices' Hurdle at Perth.
The two exciting prospects, both making their jumping debuts, kicked away from their three rivals from three out and treated racegoers to a finish to whet the appetite for the winter jumps season.
The pair jumped the final flight together but Moon Racer (5/6 favourite), the 2015 Bumper winner, proved the stronger in the last 50 yards to score for trainer David Pipe and jockey Tom Scudamore, on just his second outing since his finest hour.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyandy, a Festival scorer last season, was three-quarters of a length adrift at the line. The Gordon Elliott-trained Lake Malawi was 20 lengths back in third place.
Pipe said: "It was a great performance. He jumped well and battled all the way. They are two very good horses.
"He could go to Cheltenham for the November meeting and there's a possibility he might run on the Flat at some point.
"I'll discuss it with his owners, but hopefully we'll be getting a few runs into him this season. The idea was to start early and we've got off to a good start."
Moon Racer was cut to 12/1 favourite from 16/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival by the sponsors.
Twiston-Davies and his jockey son Sam were soon in the winner's circle when last season's Imperial Cup winner Flying Angel (4/7 favourite) made a victorious start to his fencing career with a smooth display in the Timothy Hardie Jewellers' Novices' Chase.
Taking over from long-time leader Rejaah before the second-last, the five-year-old pulled away to score by 16 lengths.
The team doubled up when Ballymalin (2/1) returned from a 166-day absence to collect the Isle Of Skye Season Awards Novices' Hurdle by three lengths from What A Moment, representing Pipe and Scudamore.
Jet Master (9/2) came from last to first to claim the Racing To School Handicap for the father-and-daughter partnership of trainer Nick Alexander and jockey Lucy.
And the father and son combination of trainer George Bewley and 5lb claiming conditional Jonathon got in on the act with Whats Up Woody (9-2), who just held on to take the Anderson Anderson & Brown Handicap Chase.
