'He had plenty left' - Looking For Larry lands gamble for Dennis family

Looking For Larry landed a tasty gamble in division two of the 2m5½f handicap hurdle, scoring as the 9-4 favourite in the hands of amateur rider Jake Bament having been backed at double-figure prices earlier in the day.  

Trained by Tim Dennis, the winner carried the colours of 1996 Hennessy Gold Cup winner Coome Hill and came home six lengths clear on his second start after a 589-day absence.

"He was almost doing a little bit too much early on and I was just trying to keep him under plenty of cover, but turning in I gave him a squeeze and it felt like I had plenty left," Bament told Racing TV. 

"I was a little bit worried that I'd hit the front too soon but he stayed true to his job and got the job done. He's a likeable horse."   

Katate Dori slams rivals 

Trainer Sam Thomas and owner Dai Walters, who narrowly missed out on big-race success when Jubilee Express finished second in Friday's Welsh Grand National, could have another progressive staying chaser on their hands after Katate Dori made a winning debut over fences in the 3m handicap for conditional riders. 

Winless in seven runs over hurdles, Katate Dori looked a natural on his first try over fences and made light work of attritional conditions to win by 12 lengths under Shane Quinlan.  

"He loved every minute of it," said Quinlan. "He's obviously improved a lot for a fence and he's a very neat jumper. When he needed to fiddle he fiddled and when I needed him he came up for me."

Quinlan celebrated the new year in style when completing a 37-1 double on Peacenik in the 2m½f novice hurdle.

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