Lady Cecil has to settle for second with jumps runner at Huntingdon
Sunday 1 March 2015 17:10, UK
Lady Cecil had to settle for second place as Perfect Summer became her first runner over jumps at Huntingdon.
The five-year-old made a promising debut but was easily brushed aside by Lanceur (11/8 favourite) in the Huge Cheltenham Offer Now At 32RedSport.com Maiden Hurdle.
Lucy Wadham's six-year-old put his experience from two hurdle races to good use as he led on the home turn and won as he liked by seven lengths from the Cecil-trained 11/4 second favourite. Kap Jazz was third.
Lady Cecil, sister of Grand National-winning rider Richard Guest, had been asked by German owner Gerhard Schoeningh to give Perfect Summer a jumps campaign.
Her late husband Sir Henry Cecil never had a National Hunt runner in 37 years at Warren Place, though he did win the charity race at the Cheltenham Festival with Plato in 2011.
The winner could be headed to Aintree next month after putting a poor run at Fakenham behind him.
Wadham told Racing UK: "I think he had an off-day at Fakenham. On his Newbury form (second to Jollyallan) he was entitled to win like that today.
"I'll have to speak to the owner but I think we'll have to look at running him in something at Aintree."
