LORD PROVES OWNERS RIGHT

Lordberniebouffant overcame his trainer Josh Gifford`s fears to win the Victor Chandler Sussex National at Fontwell today.

Gifford was reluctant to risk the eight-year-old on the tacky conditions in the three and a half mile Showcase Handicap Chase, the richest race at the figure-of-eight course which had been held over from the postponed post-Christmas fixture.

But encouraged by the seven-strong partnership, headed by prominent owner Ray Anderson Green that race the horse, he decided to let Lordberniebouffant take his chance.

With Philip Hide seeking the least-poached ground, Lordberniebouffant was delivered to throw down the challenge to the top weight and favourite Smarty in the home straight.

Approaching the final fence, Smarty looks as if he might repel his tormentor, but the concession of 23lb proved decisive on the run-in, and Lordberniebouffant prevailed by three-quarters of a length.

'Give the credit to the boys,' said Gifford. 'They planned this and if I had my way I wouldn`t have run, but Ray said the boys were coming down, so we ran.'

Gifford believes that Lordberniebouffant could run in the Scottish Grand National in the spring.

He added: 'He could be a National horse one day, but he could go well go to Ayr this year as Ray`s from Scotland and we usually send him up there for his last run of the season.'

Smarty`s effort under 12st prompted Victor Chandler to trim Mark Pitman`s horse to 25-1 from 33-1 for the Martell Grand National.

Pitman had earlier enjoyed better fortune when Marble City, the horse who spawned the interest in racing of Monsignor`s owner, Malcolm Denmark, gained his first victory at the 19th attempt in the Eradication And Cleaning Ltd Handicap Chase, making all under Norman Williamson.

Denmark, supported by a stick, the legacy of slipping down a flight of steps when exiting a plane last Friday, said: 'This is the horse who started it all off and I thought he`d never win, but Norman was perfect at putting him right at every fence today.'

Kentford Fern ended a frustrating spell for trainer Seamus Mullins when sinking uneasy favourite Sea Ferry in the Docker Hughes Memorial Challenge Trophy Novices Hurdle.

The 33-1 shot, the mount of Andrew Thornton, was breaking a sequence of 44 consecutive losers for the Hampshire-based handler.

Mullins, who trains Kentford Fern for owner-breeder Ian Beare, said: 'I was sent her mother, Busy Mittens when she was rising 11 and she won a point, a hunter chase and was beaten a short-head by Double Silk at Ascot, and this is the first foal.'

Timmy Murphy picked up a two-day ban (January 17th-18th) for using his whip with his excessive force on the unplaced Designer Label in the Ruling Dynasty HBLB National Hunt Novices` Hurdle won by Tony McCoy`s mount Cresswell Native.