By Peter Moore at Newbury Friday 21st March
Zain Nights bounced back to form after taking the Ultimate Travel Company Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.
Despite recently pulling up in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham a week ago, a change of headgear from cheekpieces to a visor seemed to have made a big difference after the six-year-old jumped the last in the lead before running on nicely under Tom Cannon to win by 4 ¼ lengths.
The feature race of the day on Bet Victor Jumps Finale day one was the Focus Novices Limited Handicap Chase was won by the Anthony Honeyball trained Leave Of Absence.
The lightly raced eight-year-old finished runner up to The Changing Man in the Reynoldstone Novices Chase at Ascot and today was starting in handicap company for the first time.
Under Rex Dingle the horse was driven along in the final furlong to win by 2 ½ lengths.
With the withdrawal of Ski Lodge, the opener on the card was reduced to just five runners with the Harry Derham trained Queensbury Boy sent off long odds on shot.
Approaching the last Queensbury Boy was alongside Captain Bellamy before pulling clear in the run in to get the job done by 2 ¼ lengths.
Manuelito made an encouraging debut for Phillip Hobbs & Johnson White at Exeter a fortnight ago by pulling a long way clear of the rest to finish runner up in a 8 runner handicap.
Although making a mess of the last three flights, he managed to get clear of the field to go on and win by 2 ¼ lengths.
Leading jump jockey Sean Bowen teamed up once again with The Boola Boss and just like the last time it proved to be a winning combination.
A below par third of 5 at Taunton three weeks ago could be put down to not having the usual headgear.
The tongue strap was back on today which made the difference, with the gelding running on nicely to win by a length.
Twelve months ago Mahler Moon finished runner up to Bumpy Johnson in the 3m handicap hurdle.
Today, the seven-year-old went one better to win by a length and a half from Holokea to give trainer Fergal O’Brien his 17th winner at the course in the last five years.