Maypole Class was an impressive winner of the opening contest of the afternoon, the Bangor-on-Dee Handicap Chase on Wednesday 11 November. Four out of the five runners were together jumping the second last, but by the final fence, Maypole Class & Jonjo O’Neil Jr had a clear lead before asserting on the run in to win by almost three lengths. The consistent six-year old is a winner over hurdles and recorded his first win over the bigger obstacles at the second time of asking.
An exciting line up went to post in the Mares’ Novices’ Chase, the only Listed contest on the Bangor-on-Dee calendar. The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Zambella landed the spoils on her chasing debut under Daryl Jacob, and even when blundering at the last, managed to turn over the odds on favourite Stormy Ireland. The mare recorded three wins across the channel in France before moving to Twiston-Davies’ base in the Costwolds, with this being her first win on British soil.
The in-form Alan King trained the winner of a hotly contested Anne Duchess of Westminster Memorial Handicap Chase with Notachance. 13 runners went to post including two former Cheltenham Festival winners, Coo Star Sivola and Kilbricken Storm. The eventual winner sat in midfield, travelling smoothly throughout the three-mile contest, and after sitting on the heels of the leaders turning in, took the lead two from the finish. Captain Tommy and The Two Amigos looked to challenge heading into the final fence but failed to get on terms as Notachance stayed on strongly to the line under Tom Cannon.
Pyramid Place justified favouritism in taking the Darlands Juvenile Maiden hurdle for Milton Harris and Mitch Bastyan. Formerly trained by John Gosden, the three-year-old has clearly improved for an obstacle, winning here on just his second start over hurdles, after only being beaten a short head on his debut under national hunt rules for his current handler.
Sam Twiston-Davies rode the first of his two winners on the afternoon as Any News sauntered to victory in the National Hunt Auction Maiden Hurdle. A comfortable bumper winner last month at Exeter, the son of Stowaway is now two from two under the care of trainer Neil Mulholland and looks a lovely type for the future.
There was a ding-dong battle up the home straight to contest the Overton-on-Dee Handicap Hurdle. The 11/8 favourite Mint Condition backed up his win at the track last month and showed great guts to fend off a rallying Chirico Vallis in the final furlong and deny Neil Mulholland a double. The six-year-old now has a 100% strike rate at the track, with two wins from two runs, for Staffordshire based trainer Jennie Candlish.
Took The Lot denied the evens favourite, Legends Ryde in an eventful Penley Novices’ Hurdle to record two wins apiece for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies. Salopian Boy caused carnage at the first flight, when trying to refuse, taking out two of his competitors, leaving just five runners standing after only a couple of furlongs. After dictating the race, the bumper winner, owned by The True Acre Partnership, recorded his first win over hurdles at his second attempt.
The next meeting at Bangor-on-Dee will take place on Saturday 28 November. This fixture will be run behind closed doors but will be available to watch live on Sky Sport Racing.
