Ginge the Betfair hero Little-known conditional jockey Ryan Hatch punched the air and cries of "Ginge Army" rang around the Newbury winner's enclosure after a big upset in the feature Betfair Hurdle. Splash Of Ginge, a 33-1 chance trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, was never out of the first couple of positions in the season's most prestigious two-mile handicap hurdle to prompt fanatical celebrations from more than 30 family and friends of Liverpudlian John Neild. The first horse Neild has owned outright was bought to run in the Grand National and before his length and three-quarters defeat of Dell' Arca, the novice had only an Aintree maiden hurdle victory to his name from nine previous starts. Hatch landed last year's Kim Muir at Cheltenham on Same Difference while in the amateur ranks, and was not afraid of being positive despite the desperately tough ground. He allowed Act Of Kalanisi to overtake him out in the country but held the lead all the way down the home straight, repelling not only Dell 'Arca but Cheltenian and 6-1 favourite Irish Saint, who took third. The 44-year-old Nield, who runs a renewable energy company, is the sort of enthusiastic character racing should cherish. He said: "I rang up Richard Osgood, the clerk of the course, yesterday and I said I've got people coming from Spain, Scotland and Ireland and if it's not on, it's going to cost me a fortune. He said if it was off, I could come and have lunch at his house. "This is the dream. I grew up 800 metres from Aintree and I always wanted a National winner, but it's going to be hard to top that. He's a chaser really, but he has never run a bad race over hurdles. He wasn't expensive and I don't think he has had the credit he deserved. Ryan was the first person to sit on him, he broke him in and he has given him a tremendous ride." Neild had shares in other horses and had visited a handful of trainers before deciding on his venture with Cotswold-based Twiston-Davies. He went on: "It was the National connection really. Nige isn't the most outgoing but I looked into his eyes and believed in him. He just can't lie. I'm absolutely certain if it wasn't for Nige, this horse would never have even won a race." Hatch added: "I thought I had a quiet chance, but I didn't want to get over-excited and build my hopes up. He didn't have a lot of weight and we knew he'd handle the ground. He was a bit unexposed and is improving, but you can never get too confident in the big handicaps. He was bought for the Grand National, but I think it's more County Hurdles at the minute." Twiston-Davies was at Warwick with his son Sam instead of Newbury. He told Racing UK: "I was thinking of having a go at a bit of the 40-1, but it was a competitive event and you can't ever be too hopeful. "Sam wanted to come here because he didn't think he could win and thought he would have better chances, so it's terrible for him, but he's got a great bunch of owners and he won't be lacking for support. He's entered in the Supreme and the Neptune. He might well be weighted out of the handicaps now."
