100-1 shot loses race in stewards' room as Rebecca Curtis ends three-month drought with 509-1 double

Mad Mike was denied a huge 100-1 shock in a dramatic second division of the 2m3½f maiden hurdle when losing the race to House Of Stories following a stewards' inquiry.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, Mad Mike finished a nose in front of the Rebecca Curtis-trained House Of Stories but bumped his rival at the final hurdle. He was subsequently demoted to give Curtis a welcome first winner since October.

Curtis said: "I was delighted to get it as we've been having so many seconds lately. I wasn't convinced we'd get it watching it live, but my mind changed after seeing the replay. He was badly interfered with and it might have stayed the same had he been beaten a neck, but he was only done by a nose.

"Ben [Jones, jockey] was quite confident we'd get it in the end, and Matt Chapman [Sky Sports Racing presenter] was convinced it would be overturned."

The eight-year-old was a point winner over three miles in Ireland and Curtis expects him to thrive when upped in trip.

She added: "He's a really nice horse who's going to make a cracking chaser. Staying trips will be his game and he loves this testing ground. He's definitely one for the future."

Curtis completed a 509-1 double when outsider Valens Bruyee impressively landed the 2m novice hurdle at 50-1, with the 1-4 favourite Kourosh well beaten in third. 

Jones then brought up a 1,070-1 treble with Lowry's Bar in the 2m3½f handicap hurdle. He was the second leg of a Hobbs-White double following Livin On Luco's success in the opening division of the 2m3½f maiden hurdle.

Course specialist

Bells Of Peterboro picked up a third course win with an easy success in the 2m7½f novice handicap chase.

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