'It's been a long time coming' - Ross Chapman rides first winner for 16 months

Thursday: Kelso

Ross Chapman is looking to put his injury nightmare behind him after riding his first winner for 16 months on Coral Blue in the 2m5f handicap hurdle.

Chapman's career has been interrupted by two separate falls, but he produced a well-timed front-running ride on the Duncan McCready-owned 6-1 shot, who also got trainer Daragh Bourke off the mark for the season.

"It's been a long time coming, I'll tell you that, but it's done now," said the jockey. "I was meant to do that eight days ago on him and went too quick, but he's won well and it's not a bad training performance.

"He was too free and didn't get up the hill at Hexham and we decided to go to a flat track and try to run them ragged."

Chapman suffered shoulder and collarbone injuries in a fall at Carlisle and then dislocated his knee in a fall at home just as he was closing in on a return.

"It was a double whammy and I was off for 11 months in the end," he said. "It's been a slow start since coming back, but I'm in at Sue Smith's two times a week and she's giving me some rides, so hopefully I can build a connection there."

Run Rabbitt

Conditional Conor Rabbitt enjoyed a landmark day when recording his first double with victories on the George Bewley-trained Hoganville and Miss Milano for his boss Nicky Richards.

Jockey Conor Rabbitt records the first leg of a double with victory on Hoganville in the long-distance handicap hurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Saturday pointer

Lucinda Russell advertised the form of her stable before Corach Rambler's Coral Gold Cup bid with a 69-1 treble courtesy of Chapel Green, Destiny Is All and Camp Belan.

Results, replays and analysis

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