Jamie Snowden’s journey to Sandown Park was far from smooth, with a tyre blowout on the M3 delaying his arrival, but the drama on the road was nothing compared to the spectacle that unfolded on the track. LAURENS BAY, who appeared to be out of contention for much of the race, produced a breathtaking late surge to claim victory in the £80,000 European Breeders’ Fund (EBF) ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final.
Under Gavin Sheehan, the 33-1 outsider looked well beaten approaching the second-last hurdle, trailing far behind the leading pair, OFF THE JURY and MEETMEBYTHESEA, who were locked in a gripping duel. But as the race reached its climax, LAURENS BAY found another gear, powering up the hill on softer ground and sweeping past both rivals to snatch victory by a neck in dramatic fashion.
Snowden, who trained the Youmzain gelding to his second career success, admitted it was far from the race plan. “We had the race on in the car, and it wasn’t exactly how we had intended to run,” he said. “But he’s a horse who stays well and wants soft ground. At Ascot in January, he was completely taken off his feet on good ground, so we knew conditions today would suit him better.”
The trainer, still recovering from his unexpected roadside pit stop, joked about his struggles with the tyre change. “Let’s just say I wouldn’t pass an F1 test,” he laughed. “It was a nightmare journey, but the result is all that matters.”
Snowden now sees a bright future for LAURENS BAY, particularly as a chaser next season. “That’s been our plan all along. If the ground stays dry in the spring, he’ll be in the field before long, but he’ll be a lovely chaser next year.”
Meanwhile, trainer Neil Mulholland enjoyed a timely boost ahead of the Cheltenham Festival as NARRAGANSETT displayed grit and determination to land the Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
The promising son of Inns Of Court, a last-time-out winner at Plumpton, faced a tough challenge in the two-mile contest but dug deep when it mattered. GALACTIC CHARM looked to have secured victory after surging into the lead at the penultimate hurdle, but NARRAGANSETT, sent off the 85-40 favourite, produced a well-timed finish to reel him in and win by half a length.
Mulholland was pleased with the performance, noting the gelding’s steady progression. “He’s done very little wrong,two seconds and now two wins—so he’s going the right way,” he said. “We wanted to hold on to him a bit today to get up the hill, and he galloped all the way to the line.”
Despite the victory, Mulholland ruled out a quick turnaround for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, setting his sights on other major spring targets instead. “He wouldn’t be good enough for the Triumph. We’ll look at Ayr, Aintree, or maybe a nice race at Ascot.”
