PLUMPTON on a Sunday is not normally the time or place to see future stars.

However, as one Sussex regular pointed out, the Follow At The Races On Twitter Novices’ Chase was ‘a proper race’.

This was principally because Guillaume Macaire sent over French champion four-year-old Master Dino, a winner by 30 lengths on his first chase at Auteuil. He followed up here, making all for Daryl Jacob in the familiar green Simon Munir and Isaac Souede colours and coming home seven lengths ahead of Gary Moore’s Knocknanuss, who is highly rated by the trainer.

Master Dino had a careful look at the first but jumped soundly thereafter, even in unfamiliar surroundings over different obstacles. He is a clearly a class act and was favourite for the JLT Novices Chase, but the unfortunate news broke on Tuesday that he had sustained a fracture to a hind leg requiring three screws and would be out of action for some time.

Daryl Jacob had reported, “He did well here with track and ground against him. He is some prospect.”

AMIGOS GRINDS IT OUT

Somerset trainer Nicky Martin is not well known but has a very dour and talented stayer in 11/8 favourite The Two Amigos, who made virtually every yard in the Sussex National Handicap Chase.

Still only seven, there are more marathons in the horse and a likely target looks to be the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter immediately after the Cheltenham Festival.

Time for Gin

AT Wincanton on Saturday, Venetia Williams completed her across-the-card double when Calipto, 7/2, shoddy at his early fences after unseating at Chepstow the time before, warmed to the task and moved through to land the BetVictor Handicap Chase by a tidy four lengths from Catamaran Du Seuil.

Earlier, Pink Gin – officially with Nigel Twiston-Davies but looked after by Jim Old since the former Champion Hurdle -winning trainer joined forces with his old colleague – won his first steeplechase at the age of 11 in the Betfinder Novices’ Limited Handicap.

Sent off an easy-to-back 10/1, he jumped well for Mark Grant and may win again on good ground but not very soft or heavy.

Irish winners

THERE was an Irish winner at Wolverhampton on Monday evening when Ado McGuinness took the opener with Tareec (7/2), ridden by Conor McGovern. The Tareec Syndicate were the winning owners.

On Tuesday Stuart Crawford was successful at Ayr when Apache Jack (14/1) took the two-mile handicap hurdle under J.J. Slevin. He beat the John McConnell-trained Bold Emperor by three-quarters of a length. The 11-year-old carries the colours of Pat Sloan.

At Doncaster a day a later Kildare trainer Stephen Hanlon won a three-mile handicap hurdle with Diggin Deep. The same horse gave Hanlon his first winner at Musselburgh in November, again with Will Kennedy in the plate.

Hughes goes to the 1,000+

THE unsung Brian Hughes was the jockey to follow at Newcastle with a treble on Hawk High, Petite Ganache and Ascot De Bruyere. The last-named, trained by James Ewart at Dumfries, picked up a handsome prize of over £16,000 in the three-mile handicap chase after running very well in the Borders National at Kelso.

Hughes completed his 35/1 treble after riding his 1,000th winner in Britain and Ireland on My Old Gold at Wetherby the day before.