ADRIAN MAGUIRE took the riding honours at Worcester yesterday afternoon when racking up a 41 to 1 treble aboard Pharanear, Forest Ivory and Lord Of The West.
Classy handicap hurdler Pharanear, who disappointed on his fencing debut, made handsome amends with a battling verdict over Treasure Again in the Bet With The Tote Novices' Chase (Qualifier).
David Nicholson's charge was on the floor on his only other venture over the larger obstacles at Uttoxeter last time, but relished the more testing conditions on this occasion and rallied to beat Treasure Again on the run in for a neck success.
"I'm very pleased with that," reported Nicholson's assistant Alan King. "The ground was too quick for him last time and he appreciated the softer going here - in fact the softer the better for him."
Treasure Again "delighted" trainer Merrita Jones on his fencing debut. She said: "He's done everything we wanted him to do barring win. He jumped well but just idled a little in front."
However the stewards were far from impressed with Derek Byrne's use of the whip aboard the runner up, second to Trainglot at last season's Cheltenham Festival and banned him for three days (Dec 11th-13th) for improper riding.
The Nicholson Maguire combination notched a double when Forest Ivory put up a nice performance to beat Dantes Cavalier with something in hand by two and a half lengths for the Spetchley Novices' Hurdle.
Maguire completed his three timer aboard Jonjo O'Neill's Lord Of The West who kept on too strongly for Eastern River to land the Malvern Handicap Chase.
Big Strand took the River Severn Handicap Hurdle on his first run of the season in the hands of David Walsh, while Mister Oddy gave Mick Fitzgerald the proverbial armchair ride when landing the Kempsey Handicap Chase.
The Jenny Pitman trained Melstock Meggie, partnered by Warren Marston, took the Rushock Mares' Novices' Hurdle by three lengths from More Hall Lady despite drifting right on the run in.
Billingsgate, one of only two horses in training with permit holder Dr David Chesney, was sent off 50 to 1 for the concluding bumper but belied those long odds with a four length call over Dark Orchard in the hands of claimer Nathan Willmington.
At Kelso, Seven Towers landed the eighth add most valuable success of his career when snatching a dramatic photo finish verdict over Mony Skip in the £15,000 added John Hinchliffe Memorial Champion Chase - providing the first leg of double for Mary Reveley and Peter Niven in the process.
It was a victory that had looked long odds against as the field swung into the home straight for the final time in the three and a half mile stamina test, with Seven Towers lying a seemingly hopeless sixth in the seven runner line up.
At this point nothing was going better than Mony Skip who had made steady progress under Richard Guest into third place. MonySkip hit the front half way up the run in but Niven really got to work on 11 to 4 favourite Seven Towers in the last 100 yards, and the Reveley raider nosed ahead in the shadow of the post to secure a head verdict, with Westwell Boy, plugging on to fill third place.
Lochnagrain, Mrs Reveley's only other runner, had rather more in hand when capturing the following E Scarth and Son Handicap Hurdle.
