By Peter Moore at Lingfield Park 28th November 2024
Thursday afternoons jump fixture at Lingfield proved profitable for trainers Gary & Josh Moore and jockey Niall Houlihan who picked up a quick fire double, with Miller Spirit and Angel’s Dream in the final two races on the card.
Miller Spirit has won five times on the flat in a busy season, but was making his hurdles debut.
Having to be shaken up approaching the last, the gelding ran on well to beat Desert Halo by one and a half lengths at odds of 6-4.
Having been one of the fancied Moore runners, nothing much was expected of 22-1 chance Angel’s Dream in the finale.
Coming to the last, Angel’s Dream joined favourite Superstylin with the two left to fight out a thrilling finish, with only a neck covering the pair.
Low sun was causing a constant problem all afternoon . Before the fourth race, three flights of hurdles were not jumped in the back straight.
Although it meant fewer hurdles, this didn’t prove a problem for the Nigel Hawke trained Speiriuil who won the 2m three and a half furlong novices handicap hurdle by three and three quarter lengths.
James Davies was really proud to be wearing the treasured silks of JP McManus after Aworkinprogress made it three wins on the spin after taking the 2m seven and a half furlongs handicap chase.
Despite a 5lb penalty, the five-year-old backed up his win at Stratford six weeks ago with another fine victory, by three quarters of a length.
Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson sent just one runner to Lingfield, with Holloway Queen making her rules debut under Nico de Boinville with his only ride on the card.
Despite hanging left, the four-year-old ran on well to get the better of the odds on chance Jasmine Bliss by a length.
Samuel Drinkwater made it six winners from his last 13 runners when TWP Stori got up late on to deny Getaway With You victory on the line by a short head in the opening conditional jockeys handicap.