It’s Mullins magic and Skelton steel at Plumpton
The Easter Festival at Plumpton Racecourse got off to a cracking start with some seriously impressive performances on the track as Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton continued their battle to win the trainers’ championship.
The feature, the £75,000 BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle, lived up to its billing – and it was a touch of class from Ireland that took centre stage. Adsurde, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Harry Cobden, travelled strongly and powered clear late on to land a 2-1 on the day for the Mullins team, giving them a nice bump of prize money in the Trainers’ Championship.
But the British didn’t go home empty-handed. Shakeyatailfeather showed plenty of heart to hold off Siam Park in a thrilling finish for Dan and Harry Skelton — a result that keeps the Skelton yard right in the mix for the championship too.
The Sunday opener, the ExTech Cloud Computing Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, saw Jasmine D’airy bolt up by more than 20 lengths in a dominant display. The well-backed favourite barely saw another rival, giving young jockey Ben Sutton and trainer Harry Derham the first win of the day.
Flamelco was next to strike, jumping fluently throughout to score for trainer Sarah Humphrey in the Mayo Wynne Baxter Handicap Steeple Chase. My Friend Sean continued his excellent run of form, battling on bravely to land his fourth win from his last five starts.
Hugo’s New Horse dug incredibly deep to deny Havaila in a titanic tussle up the run-in. Neither horse gave an inch, but it was Hugo’s New Horse who found that bit extra when it mattered.
Busy Being Busy took the final trophy of the day, with Lee Edwards aboard for trainer Stuart Edmunds, taking the lead after the last.
The festival ended on Monday, with the curtain coming down on the thrilling two-day spectacle that welcomed nearly 11,000 racegoers.
The action kicked off with a convincing performance from All Authorized, who secured the opening race under a composed ride from Caoilin Quinn for Sussex trainer Gary Moore.
The feature of the day, the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Chase, provided huge excitement as Paul Nicholls claimed a memorable 1-2. Talented young jockey Jay Tidball took centre stage with a tenacious ride aboard Sans Bruit, earning glowing praise from Nicholls, who confidently declared the youngster will ride plenty more winners.
Another to delight backers was Norn Iron, who finally got his nose in front at the sixth time of asking over hurdles. Backed into odds-on favouritism, he didn’t disappoint under Paul O’Brien, delivering a smooth and overdue success.
There was more cause for celebration in the Skelton camp, as Mostly Sunny surged to victory under Harry Skelton, banking a vital £23,764.50 in prize money and boosting their standing in the fiercely contested UK Jump Trainers’ Championship.
Sam Twiston-Davies got in on the winning action too, guiding Sea Invasion to the line for Anthony Honeyball in a professional performance.
A landmark moment came for Tom Cannon, who notched up his 100th Plumpton winner – a truly exceptional feat – aboard Synchronist for Sarah Humphrey. The duo made light work of the field, drawing cheers from a supportive home crowd as they crossed the finish with ease.
The day concluded with yet another triumph for Team Green, as Irish maestro Willie Mullins added another Plumpton win to his name. Emerald Poet, under the expert hands of Harry Cobden, stayed on strongly to secure the final race of the Easter Festival.
One sad note from Monday – Nico de Boinville was taken to hospital for further assessment following a fall. De Boinville was aboard 3-1 favourite As The Fella Says for Nicky Henderson in the Southern Cranes Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, when falling at the first. The hurdle was bypassed subsequently, with De Boinville treated on the track before being taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.
Off the track, two days of family fun included kids enjoying a funfair, inflatables, face painting and games, while parents soaked up the atmosphere and the sunshine.