TOWCESTER RACES: Joy for Dyson as Cheat The Cheater coasts to victory

Cheat The Cheater picked up the baton of Towcester winners for Worcestershire trainer Claire Dyson when scoring an eighth length victory for the Pink Fizz Fillies on Thursday.

The 6/1 chance who doesn’t always look the most persuasive of individuals, responded to the urgings of Brendan Powell to beat favourite Basford Ben into second place in The Skybet Cheltenham Preview Here March 7th Handicap Chase, over 3m 1/2f.

Dyson, who is based near Bromsgrove, has taken her share of Towcester prizes in recent seasons with the likes of Quayside Court and Musical Wedge, who have both now been retired. As a trainer/jockey, she even rode Whitford Don to a shock 33/1 success at Towcester in a 3m hurdle back in February 2007.

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After her winning syndicate had taken the chance to broaden their horizons by sampling white champagne, Dyson said: “This horse has won three for us now, two of them over fences, but will need a bit of a break now.”

Dyson is likely to come back to Towcester in the near future with Memory Of Light which ran in the opening 2m 5f handicap hurdle won by David Pipe’s Navanman, ridden by 3lbs claiming jockey Kieron Edgar.

Cheat The Cheater was one of a pair of Towcester winners sired by Flemensfirth, the other one being Informationisking (4/1) in the bumper, the Alan King scorer being one of two rides on the day for Barry Geraghty, a rare visitor to the track.

Geraghty’s two mounts were both in the JP McManus colours but he could only finish third on Suit Yourself in the 2m novices’ hurdle. However, even that looked unlikely a mile from home with the Jonjo O’Neill individual toiling well off the pace.

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Although he rallied, he was unable to reach the winner Flashjack (6/4 second favourite) and 16/1 runner-up Mahlers Star in the colours of local owner Simon Hunt and his son Jack.

Trainer Warren Greatrex has his string in good heart and has a talented individual in the form of Caitys Joy (4/5 favourite) which landed the 2m 3f mares’ novices hurdle in good style under Daryl Jacob by nine lengths and seven lengths from Bagging Turf and Graceful Legend, the rest of the 13-strong field strung out over wide stretches of Northamptonshire.

Greatrex said: “She has a lot of talent and is very versatile... she could even come back down in trip. It didn’t help today that she was hassled for the lead.”

He added: “She will be even better on the better ground and we have thought about running in the mares’ final at Newbury. She will be made for fences next season.”

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The most controversial race of the day was the 2m handicap hurdle in which the eight strong field was instantly reduced to six when fancied runners Notebook and Newton Geronimo planted at the start and refused to race, aggrieving backers. The contest was won by 7/1 chance Mondo Cane for the father and son trainer/jockey partnership of Charles and Adam Pogson.