Crawford winner

STUART CRAWFORD would have been glad to see Ayr pass an inspection on Tuesday morning as he went on to have a winner and second on the card.

Elusive Theatre (11/4f), partnered by JJ Slevin, justified favouritism in the an extended two-mile and five-furlong handicap hurdle, hitting the front early and staying on well to repel his nearest pursuer.

Earlier the same pair teamed up with Ardean Lass (11/4) who just failed in the opening maiden hurdle, going down by just under two lengths to 6/1 shot Caventara.

Drowne signs off with a winner

STEVE Drowne rode a winner on his final ride as a professional jockey at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve. The 46-year-old rode the 6/1 shot Met By Moonlight to a convincing success, going wide off the bend but the pair proving much too strong for their main two rivals.

The former Group 1-winning jockey will now embark on a second career as a stipendiary steward for the BHA.

Super Maria

IT is rare for Taunton to stage a listed race, let alone one on a busy Saturday, but the totetrifecta Mares’ Novices Hurdle produced a most impressive winner in Stuart Edmunds’ 11/8 favourite Maria’s Benefit, who thrashed market rivals If You Say Run and Sunshade (trained by Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson respectively) by 30 lengths and more to complete a four-timer under Ciaran Gethings. The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham is the principal target for Maria’s Benefit, with a trip to Doncaster beforehand. She is a general 7/1 shot for her Cheltenham target, in a race of which the only two renewals have been won by Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci. For that reason, Salsaretta, a five-year-old former French mare set to run for Mullins in Ricci’s colours, is already as short as 5/1 in places.