THREE of the four hunters’ chases staged in Britain over the past two weeks were won by Irish-bred horses but the result which really caught the media’s attention came in the two-runner race at Wincanton last Thursday week when the British-bred West Approach saw off the French-bred Alcala by 21 lengths.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Alcala was despatched as favourite under Ben Bromley but from three out the 1/2 shot could never get in a blow as his rival, a 12-year-old Westerner gelding, stretched clear in the hands of Freddie Gingell who was recording his first success on his just second track ride.

The 16-year-old is a grandson of West Approach’s owner/trainer Colin Tizzard who had provided the rider with his first point-to-point victory – also on his second start – last month.

There was an upset at Hereford on Monday, January 31st when, following a mistake at the final fence, last season’s Aintree Foxhunters Chase winner, Cousin Pascal, was foiled in his attempt to make all when collared close home and beaten three-parts of a length by Wagner.

The winner, a seven-year-old Mahler gelding who was previously in the care of Anthony Honeyball, is now trained by Matthew Hampton for Georgia Morgan whose 17-year-old son Beau was in the saddle.

Former Irish-trained

There were two hunters’ chases last Saturday. The extended three-mile, two-furlong race at Musselburgh was won by the former Henry de Bromhead-trained Myth Buster.

This nine-year-old Shantou gelding, who is a half-brother to nine other winners including the great Kicking King, was having his third start for Sara Bradstock who is now training the bay for her husband Mark. The couple’s daughter, Lily, partnered Myth Buster to this second career success.

Gina Andrews bypassed the opportunity to add to her season’s total of wins between the flags to travel to Wetherby where she landed the five-runner hunters’ chase on the favourite Dubai Quest who saw off the only other finisher, Le Breuil, by five and a half lengths.

The winner, a nine-year-old Dubai Destination gelding trained by the rider’s husband Tom Ellis, was recording his second hunters’ chase victory from two starts while he also has been successful in six of his 10 point-to-point outings.