'He didn't win like a 1-2 shot' - Vee Dancer grinds out Ronan McNally gamble

Sunday: Huntingdon

Trainer Ronan McNally is no stranger to landing a gamble, but Vee Dancer's win in the 2m4½f conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle nearly didn’t pan out as expected.

The six-year-old had drawn blanks on his nine previous outings, but after being sent off the 1-2 favourite, having been 5-2 the previous day, he made hard work of a three-length success.

“He certainly didn't win like a 1-2 shot and I don't think he deserved to be one,” said McNally.

Vee Dancer ran in snatches and needed jockey Kevin Brogan to niggle him along early in the race, but he came to life after the second-last and stayed on strongly to get the better of runner-up Cheng Gong.

McNally added: “At no stage did it look like he was going to win and early doors he was outpaced and looked like he was struggling.

"I think the young lads maybe went a wee bit fast in front and it played to his strengths and he was able to stay on after the last.”

Vee Dancer (blue) stays on strongly to score under Kevin BroganCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The Armagh trainer has been at the centre of gambles before when sending runners across the Irish Sea, including in June 2019 when he said he felt like a criminal after he was interviewed by BHA stewards at Southwell before The Jam Man landed a touch.

He added: “Any runner I have seems to go off a lot shorter than what you would think on paper. When the public sees the price coming down they jump on the bandwagon.”

Brinkley looks a stayer for the future

Brocade Racing, the owners of Gold Cup winner Native River, look to have another smart stayer on their hands in the shape of the David Pipe-trained Brinkley, who won the 2m7½f novice chase.

The 9-4 shot stayed on stoutly under Tom Scudamore to repel the late challenge of Honest Vic, with odds-on favourite Oscar Elite a disappointing third.

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