Doncaster: 'This would be our biggest win' - Cooper's Cross adds to Scottish joy in Sky Bet Chase

Less than an hour after Ahoy Senor's Cotswold Chase victory, Cooper's Cross struck another blow for Scotland in the £100,000 Sky Bet Chase.

The 16-1 shot, upped to 3m for the first time, cruised through to lead three out under Sam Coltherd and stayed the trip well enough to give the rider's father Stuart his biggest win.

The trainer, who has "28-30" horses in his Selkirk yard, said: "Cooper's Cross was meant to be in the Peter Marsh last week at Haydock so it's a good job that was off! I always said there was a big race in him. I was hoping the step up in trip would do the job.

"This would be our biggest win. I've been training for 20-odd years but since Sam became professional we've stuck our heads down and got more horses. This is quite a big family affair because my daughter rides out."

Coltherd had watched Ahoy Senor win and said: "We were shouting him home - and Sounds Russian, who we beat at Sedgefield in 2021. It's a good day for the north."

Lilly Pinchin was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone after falling two out on Tea For Free, who was in second place at the time.

Class tells

With no Constitution Hill up against her this time, Epatante showed her class with an ultra-smooth success in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle.

The 2020 Champion Hurdle winner had been no match for her brilliant stablemate in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle or Christmas Hurdle this season and had to settle for second place both times.

But the 2-9 favourite took full advantage of this drop down to Grade 2 company and scored by an easy six and a half lengths under Nico de Boinville.

Nicky Henderson's stable jockey, on board Constitution Hill at Newcastle and Kempton, said: "She felt fantastic today and I thought she jumped well and travelled great. It's nice for her to pick one up like this."

Groom Rachel McMahon, who rides Epatante at home, added:  "She's so tough and genuine. The main aim today was to get her confidence back and get her head back in front. You'd think getting beaten out of sight by Constitution Hill would be knocking her, but I think she's as good as she has been in the last year.

"She's been great on the gallops and it's just a shame that she's had to run into Constitution Hill, otherwise she'd have won two Grade 1s."

Tommy's Oscar (right): successful for Ann and Ian Hamilton at Doncaster on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick

Tommy's delight

Tommy's Oscar put a smile back on Ann and Ian Hamilton's faces with a clearcut victory in the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices' Chase.

The husband-and-wife team had been one of the success stories of the previous two seasons, hitting double-figure tallies of winners with their small string in Northumberland and earning more than £240,000 in prize-money in 2021-22.

This campaign had not been going as well, with the only success coming when Tommy's Oscar prevailed in a match at Carlisle in October.

But that horse hinted at better times ahead as he put in a fine round of jumping under Danny McMenamin to score by five and a half lengths and land a second Grade 2 success, after last year's Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock.

"That was just the job," said Ian Hamilton. "He wants better ground and a flat track. It was two miles and level weights, he's usually giving away two stone! He was on the bridle the whole way."

The winner is not entered in the Arkle and his owner said: "He'll go to Aintree, I suppose. He's not a Cheltenham horse, it's too undulating for him. We'd like to find another race for him but Ann and I are getting on a bit and we cannot travel too far."

Liverpool target

Aintree is also likely to be the destination for Maximilian, who rallied splendidly to land the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle under Brian Hughes.

"I'm not a massive Cheltenham fan," said trainer Donald McCain. "Aintree is our muckheap and he's had a hard enough race today so I'd think that would be first choice.

"I nearly walked away because he wasn't going but he saves plenty for himself. He could be one of those proper staying hurdlers who only does what he has to and doesn't want to be there too soon. He seems to have bottomless stamina."

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