Racing And Sports

Monday, 1 March 2021: Fontwell victory seals impressive sequence.

Trainer : Gary Moore

took his remarkable winning sequence to five with a clear-cut, front-running success in the Enjoy Champagne Piaff Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Fontwell.

Gary Moore's seven-year-old, who had already risen almost two stones in the ratings since he first re-discovered the winning habit at Lingfield in November, dominated a four-runner field in a race run for the Josh Gifford Cup.

He was still in control at the last, having taken charge from the outset – and after runner-up Ashutor made a mistake, the 11-8 favourite and jockey Josh Moore had no trouble completing their nine-length victory.

The winning jockey told Sky Sports Racing: "He's as good a ride as you'll get.

"He's the sort of horse, you know what you're going to do and you can just go and enjoy him and make use of his jumping."

High Up In The Air's chances of a sixth victory may be dictated as much by ground conditions as his rise in the ratings.

"He might come unstuck, the minute the ground dries up," added Moore.

"He's got a right (soft-ground) action, jumps out and gallops through it – and I think that helps him.

"He's been well-placed all year. He won bad races round Lingfield and Plumpton to begin with.

"Where he's got so far, he's done well. I hope there's more to come, but inevitably he is going to hit his ceiling."

The Crooner shrugged aside top weight of 12st 3lb to justify 2-1 favouritism in the opening Glen Scotia Single Malt Handicap Chase.

Venetia Williams' grey went one better than his course-and-distance second last week – looking in trouble off the pace turning in, but mastering eventual third Invincible Cave at the last and staying on under Tom Scudamore to beat Magic River by three and a quarter lengths.

Scudamore said: "He was never really going – but as all of Venetia's do, he kept on galloping and was really tough.

"Especially at the last, when I really needed him to, he kept on responding."

Fantastikas (evens) and Blame The Game (2-1) were also winning favourites.

The former made up for several previous near misses, as he broke his duck in the Champagne Piaff Novices' Hurdle by almost three lengths for Sam and Nigel Twiston-Davies in the familiar Imperial Racing colours.

Blame The Game led throughout and stormed to a 13-length victory in the Piaff The Champagne Of The Open Handicap Hurdle under Tom Cannon – confirming a return to form for Chris Gordon's yard.

Paul Nicholls had a day to forget, including the eclipse of McFabulous behind Brewin'upastorm in the Grade Two Loch Lomond Whiskies National Spirit Hurdle.

Nicholls' Sametegal, also sent off as odds-on favourite for the Taste Champagne At champagnepiaff.com Open Hunters' Chase, had to settle for second as well – behind lightly-raced point-to-pointer The Galloping Bear, who was a decisive 12-length winner on his rules debut for jockey Millie Wonnacott and trainer Ben Clarke.