Mary Reveley maintained her pre-Christmas spree as she secured a 59 to 1 treble at Kelso yesterday. She made the trip from her base at Saltburn in Cleveland to claim successes with Bramble Fair, A Piece Of Cake and Robbo.
After a slow start to the season Reveley's string is now in fine fettle. Robbo seized the biggest prize of the day, courtesy of his defeat of three rivals in the Tote Placepot Champion Chase.
He successfully stepped into uncharted territory of three miles one furlong, stretching away on the run-in to defeat Paddy's Return by five lengths in the hands of Alan Dempsey.
The favourite Young Spartacus faded badly after the last to finish a distance away in third.
The only other runner Radiation had just taken the lead when unseating Tony McCoy at the third last.
Robbo, whose owners sponsored the third race on the card, had never previously won over further than an extended two miles six furlongs.
"He's in the Tripleprint Chase at Cheltenham but unless it comes up soft probably won't run there as the distance might not be far enough now," said Reveley
A Piece Of Cake put up a sound display of jumping to justify favouritism in the Jooglie Novices' Chase. The 6 to 4 shot, ridden by Peter Niven, made the most of his chance after several of the opposition failed to complete the course.
Silent Gale was the most notable casualty, crashing at the second last when still in with every chance. It was at this point that A Piece Of Cake went to the front and he shrugged off the challenge of General Custer to score by seven lengths.
Bramble Fair, equipped with blinkers for the first time, captured the D & A Simpson Novices' Handicap Hurdle. The 5 to 1 chance had the race in safekeeping from some way out in the hands of Tony Ross and stayed on well to defeat Silver Howe by eight lengths.
"I was disappointed with her at Newcastle last time - I thought she would have won," said Reveley. "But we tried her in blinkers at home and they seemed to waken her up. She's from the same family as Seven Towers so you would expect her to stay further."
Jansue Charlie made it a home win with a spirited performance in the Eric Scarth Memorial Handicap Hurdle. He refused to buckle under strong pressure, fending off Vilprano by a head.
Reveley narrowly missed out on a four-timer as the fast-finishing Cruz Santa failed by a head to catch Slasher Jack in the Rosie's Bistro Handicap Hurdle.
Lord Pat, who looked the most likely winner at the last, was a head further back in third despite the assistance of Richard Johnson. Slasher Jack, once a decent handicapper on the Flat, was acquired by trainer Dorothy Thomson for just 500 guineas.
Lord Pat's defeat rounded off a miserable day for Johnson and champion McCoy. The title-chasing pair left the course empty-handed despite appearing to hold solid chances of having a couple of winners each.
Today's Newton Abbot meeting hinges on a 9.30 inspection this morning following persistent rain.
