Another excellent crowd attended Monday afternoon’s meeting with punters and bookmakers alike looking to get a little extra Festival ammunition in the satchel for the big week ahead.

The old enemy came off best in the final skirmishes with three of the four odds on favourites biting the dust. The winning favourites were 1/3 and 5/2 to give punters a smidgeon of relief but the real damage to their wallets was done in the second race when Pistolet Noir could finish only second having being backed from an opening 9/2 into 2/1. The Phillip Hobbs trained runner was heavily supported right up to the off and it seemed the money was well placed when the horse went to the front on the run to the second last fence. However, despite still being in front jumping the last his nearest pursuer Prince Louis was battling on gamely and that persistence paid off as Pistolet Noir started to wilt under the pressure. To the layers delight the Charlie Mann trained Prince Louis forced his way back to the front to win all out by three quarters of a length. This race may well prove to be a good one in the context of its class with the third horse home and chasing debutant Little Eaglet running an eye catching race in third and a stiffer track will benefit his cause. All three are capable of winning again in this grade.

The opening race had in my opinion looked a formality for the Nicky Henderson trained Proud Prescence especially after his form was franked on Saturday in the big novice handicap at Sandown Park. However, he fell at the second last hurdle and although he was closing down the eventual winner Sophies Trophy, he had been off the bridle for some time and victory was far from assured. Unfortunately the fall took his life. Sophies Trophy was given a great front running ride by local jockey Colin Bolger and after the favourite’s departure was always holding on to his advantage.

Bolger nearly made it a double when a strong ride on the top weighted Honours Dream in the staying chase just failed to reel in the favourite Abbey Dore. Honours Dream had been under pressure for the whole of the final circuit but kept responding bravely and was getting back to the eventual winner who was noticeably tiring on the run in. The form looks fairly average for this grade.

Lewes trainer Jim Best recently acquired the mare Gamesters Lady and it has proved a decent purchase with the mare recording her first victory over hurdles for the yard in the 2m handicap. She saw off the controversial recent Wincanton winner Hiddensee in comprehensive fashion. Jim said “She has now won for us on the AW and over hurdles since she came to us. There are no great plans for her and she will switch between codes and we will see where she takes us.”

The Jim and Tom Best team also came close to registering a double when their Count Boris attempted to make all the running, as Gamesters Lady had done earlier, under the local and in form conditional rider Marc Goldstein. A good ride and a tough response from Count Boris was not enough to break the horses run of placed performances with a win and he was forced to accept second place for the fourth time in five starts. The victory went to Ethiopia whose return to form came from out of the blue. After a long absence he had showed virtually nothing but saw out the near 3m 2f trip best of all as he collared Count Boris on the run in.

The short priced Raquel White took the 2m mares novice hurdle without  too much fuss from Mayberry, who appeared likely to throw down a sterner challenge to the winner but who ultimately appeared to not quite see out the race. The win was notable for the jockey Rhys Flint as it meant he has now ridden out his claim.

The ride of the day goes without  doubt to Joshua Moore whose reputation as a quality jockey continues to grow. Having hunted rode his partner Sebastiano on the inside rail before making ground effortlessly running down the back straight for the final time. At that point he made a very bad mistake at the third last which appeared to have put him out of contention. Joshua quietly gathered his horse together and let him regain his composure and got him running again to such effect that going to the final fence he was on the girth of leader Star Galaxy who himself was trying to provide Rhys Flint with a quick fire double. Joshua steadied his mount to grab a last, valuable gasp of air into his lungs before seeing a good stride at the last and a great leap from his partner put him upsides. Set alight on the run in the horse quickened past his rival to win, a victory which owed much to the quality of the ride.