Wincanton Saturday

BADGER Beers day at Wincanton is the highlight of the season at the Somerset course, with a couple of Grade 2 events to back up the big handicap.

This provided plenty of drama, and was won by Kim Bailey’s 11/1 shot El Presente (David Bass) who just edged out Alan King’s Potterman (Tom Cannon) after longtime leader and big gamble of the race My Way had capitulated in the final 100 yards having looked sure to win at the final fence.

The four-year-old Kitty’s Light (Christian Williams/Jack Tudor) ran well to be third having been hampered by the fall of the strong-travelling Sizing at Midnight at the third last.

Ga Law easily

The Grade 2 Rising Stars looked competitive despite just three declarations, but it proved anything but, with the four-year-old Ga Law (Jamie Snowden/Daryl Jacob) producing an assured round of jumping from the front, and inducing errors from both his opponents. He was eased after the last but still won by 22 lengths and 34 lengths from the talented pair Hurricane Harvey and Grand Sancy.

Ga Law benefited from an overly generous four-year-old weight allowance here, but is an exciting prospect, who may now go to Sandown for the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on Tingle Creek day.

Grand Sancy was reported to have had a breathing problem, so can be forgiven this, but his jumping was more of a concern than his tame finishing effort.

Sceau simple

The Grade 2 Elite Hurdle proved easy pickings for Welsh Champion hero Sceau Royal and Daryl Jacob who scored by seven and a half lengths from Teqaany (Fergal O’Brien/Paddy Brennan).

Better known as a chaser these days, Sceau Royal has been well-placed by Alan King to win a couple of decent pots this autumn, and the key to him isn’t the obstacles (he’s a notably quick jumper over hurdles and fences), but the ground.

Connections feel that racing him on soft ground tends to exacerbate historical wind issues, and the opportunity to tackle suitable hurdle targets on faster ground rather than wait for Cheltenham’s Shloer Chase is very much a case of a bird (or two) in hand being better than two in the bush.