Harper's Brook breaks hearts as Ascot runner beaten at 1.01 for a second time with £7,600 matched

Nicky Henderson is in for a nervous Boxing Day with Constitution Hill and Shishkin, but the trainer received a confidence boost by saddling two winners at Ascot.

It was headlined by Luccia's victory in the Betfair Exchange Trophy, as well as two at Haydock, to go into the two-day break with his yard in fine form.

Last year's Mares' Novices' Hurdle favourite Luccia clung on to score by a neck from her charging stablemate Impose Toi, with the Greatwood Hurdle winner and fellow Seven Barrows inmate Iberico Lord only seventh under Nico de Boinville, despite being sent off 11-4 favourite.

"It’s funny how you get patches of form," Henderson said as the carols broke out inside the grandstand. "You know what it’s like down there, so you want to make the most of it when you’re up there.

"I’d rather go racing tomorrow than have a two-day break when they’re like this, but we go into Boxing Day with optimism and nervousness."

There was no need to worry in this contest as Luccia made almost all the running under Paul O'Brien, who received glowing praise from the trainer on just his 25th ride for the stable.

"Paul is a lovely guy and a very, very good jockey," Henderson said. "Luccia's been knocking on the door and she was 8lb better off from the Greatwood, so she was nearly entitled to do that.

"There was no pace and we thought we’d let her roll, and that's probably as good a way to ride her as you could find. Paul dictated and controlled the race."

Henderson's other Ascot winner came in the 2m5f graduation chase when Excello upset 5-6 favourite Solo. He also struck with Issuing Authority and Pawapuri at Haydock.

Victtorino marches on

Venetia Williams took the track's Friday feature with an exciting five-year-old in Djelo and triumphed with another when Victtorino surged to the lead just after two fences from home and held off the late rally of Yeah Man to land the Silver Cup.

It was a second premier Ascot chase for the towering prospect after he won the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup last month, but this time not all went to plan for his rider Charlie Deutsch.

Victtorino clears the final fence under Charlie Deutsch to win again at AscotCredit: Mark Cranham

"It looked like it wasn’t going to go our way today," Williams said after debriefing her jockey. "There was a strong pace and he wanted to go on the outside but Blackjack Magic was holding that position on the front and he couldn’t get past and into the position he wanted.

"At Swinley Bottom onwards it was pedal to the metal and he met a few of the fences on a really awkward stride, which made things difficult for him, but he dealt with it and went on to win. He’s remarkably grown up for a five-year-old. He’s really, really exciting."

Trade takes advantage

Brendan Powell was the latest jockey to benefit from the questionable resolve of Harper's Brook as 9-4 favourite Triple Trade came out on top of an absorbing finish to the 2m3f handicap chase.

Harper's Brook appeared to throw away victory at Sandown in April when delivered late, but his rider Kielan Woods used trailblazing tactics this time, which were only foiled in the dying strides by SJS Racing's progressive chaser, who won by half a length.

"Kielan's horse always looks like he's stopped when he's come from behind, but sometimes when those horses get a lead they can be hard to peg back," Powell said. "To be honest, after I made that bad mistake at the ditch, I thought I was going to struggle to pick him up, but thankfully I did.

"All Triple Trade has done is improve since he's gone chasing and he's got a good attitude. He's done his owners proud, but I'm sure there's more in him."

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