The race According To Pete

According To Pete: Wetherby winner

According To Pete won the Betfair. Don't Settle For Less Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Malcolm Jefferson's ten-year-old cut out much of the running with Helpston in the three mile and a furlong contest and the pair still led the field as they turned into the home straight with four to jump.

At that stage, the well-backed favourite Always Right cried enough and began to back pedal but Midnight Chase, Wayward Prince and King Fontaine were still right there and Neptune Equester had closed up on the leaders.

The front two were both racing from out of the handicap and the weight that they were receiving from their rivals began to tell in the final half a mile as they drew clear of the chasing pack.

According To Pete brushed through the top of the last allowing Gina Andrews and Helpston to throw down a renewed challenge but Harry Haynes kept his mount up to his work and the 33-1 scored by a length.

Midnight Chase ran a fine race under top-weight but was a further 15 lengths adrift in third.

Crackers In Defeat

"He hasn't won for a while but he's run some crackers in defeat," said Jefferson.

"I told Harry to make it if he could as he likes being in front and he gets into a nice rhythm.

"The handicapper absolutely hammered him for winning the big fixed brush hurdle race at Haydock and he's only little so he's not built to carry lots of weight.

"Hopefully he won't be too harsh on him for winning from out of the weights as they want to encourage bigger fields in the better races I was told.

"He's been a grand horse and as a home-bred you couldn't ask for more."

Haynes, who has recently moved to the Malton area, said: "It was hard work in the end but he travelled well and jumped from fence to fence."