'We need a bit of luck sometimes' - Brian Hughes gifted extraordinary Huntingdon winner

Blueberry Wine was gifted victory in the feature 2m½f handicap chase in extraordinary fashion after leader Captain Broomfield dramatically threw away his advantage in the closing stages.

Captain Broomfield, trained by Emma Lavelle, jumped the last a couple of lengths clear of the rest and had the race in full control before suddenly veering off to his left all the way across the track. That allowed Blueberry Wine to fight back on the run-in as he was kept straight by Brian Hughes, and they capitalised to win by three-quarters of a length.

The victory was a fifth for Blueberry Wine, who carries the Red Rum silks, and also puts Hughes into the outright lead in the jump jockeys' championship as he begins his campaign to win the title for a fourth time.

The dramatic finale

Captain Broomfield holds a commanding advantage after jumping the lastCredit: Racing TV

Bu the leader soon starts to hang to the left with Brian Hughes closing on Blueberry WineCredit: Racing TV

Captain Broomfield continues to drift markedly to the left, leaving a yawning gap between himself and the rest of the fieldCredit: Racing TV

The rail helps Captain Broomfiled get back on a straight line but it is too late and Blueberry Wine pouncesCredit: Racing TV

Hughes told Racing TV: "The other horse was about three or four lengths in front of me and he went to the other side of the track – he's covered a lot of ground from the back of the last. That probably swung it in our favour. My lad's a grand consistent horse, the other is more unexposed but that's the way it is sometimes. We need a bit of luck sometimes."

Blueberry Wine won on his second start back from a long break in March, and Hughes added: "It's taken a bit of patience from trainer and owner to get here but he's won two already [in 2023] and there's no reason why he can't go on into the summer."

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