By Peter Moore at Plumpton Monday 19th October 2026
Pictures Credit: Darren Cool
Bass Hunter posted an impressive eight-and-a-half-length success in the opening contest over two miles at Plumpton on Bob Champion Cancer Trust Raceday.
The Chris Gordon trained six-year-old who was sent off a 1-4 favourite, made all on his hurdling debut under Freddie Gordon, stretching clear in stylish fashion after the final flight to score by eight and a half lengths.
Gordon was keen to get a run into Bass Hunter.
“I came here because I just thought the horse might just learn a lot more around Plumpton. It’s A tricky track and I wanted him to be able to learn while there wasn’t huge amounts of pressure on him. And so as it was, I thought this was a decent flat horse in second, but he’s just done that very easily, very comfortably.
And of course, as you step up in grade, that’s what happens. But yeah, look, great way of starting and yeah, couldn’t be happier.”
Gordon and son Freddie completed a double when Nap Hand landed the 2m handicap hurdle by three lengths. The six-year-old, owned by the race sponsors, Goodwin Racing, could now head to Cheltenham on Friday.
Nick Gifford enjoyed an emotional success in the race named in memory of his father Josh as Gone Country landed the 2m4½f handicap hurdle by two and a half lengths.
Sent off favourite, Gone Country tracked the leaders under Tom Cannon before moving through to challenge at the second-last and pulling clear in the straight.
The winning trainer said: “It was a little bit emotional walking off the stand. I don’t always have a runner in this, but I knew this one had a real chance.
“The fact we’ve delivered on this day is really gratifying.”
On a day that saw six out of seven favourites prove successful, one of those six was Golly Gosh who led coming into the straight to gain a comfortable one and three quarter lengths win under Jack Andrews for his parents, just two days after suffering an agonising neck defeat at Market Rasen.
Course specialist Tapley continued his love affair with Plumpton after landing the 2m 4f handicap chase for Gary Moore.
Just days after Moore had announced his retirement from training, in front of soon to be joint trainer on the licence Jamie Moore, he saw the grey hold on to win by one and a half lengths after a ding dong battle with Palamon.
A photo finish had to seperate EZ Tiger and Latin in the 2m handicap hurdle with EZ Tiger getting up to win by a short head for trainer Alex Hales and jockey Bryan Carver, the same winning combination as last year.