Training honours even at Leicester

Charles Egerton and Jim Old took the training honours at Leicester today when successfully bringing back Gianluca and Kattegat from lengthy spells on the sidelines.

The Egerton-trained Gianluca had been prevented by knee trouble from running for over 700 days but, once Norman Williamson produced him two flights out in the Brimardon Four Winners novices hurdle, the writing was on the wall for uneasy favourite, Tissifer.

After Gianluca had gone on to beat Homer by a length and a half, Egerton said: 'That`s a big relief. This horse hurt a knee while he was box-resting and had to have a chip removed.'

Gianluca was very impressive when scoring on his debut in a Ludlow bumper almost two years ago and Egerton`s fingers are now crossed that he will come out of this hurdling debut unscathed.

Kattegat looked the first beaten in the Brimardon Free Colour Brochure handicap hurdle, but Carl Llewellyn`s mount battled back gamely when getting his second wind and collared gamble of the race Burundi to score by a length and a quarter.

Old said of the Wally Sturt-owned gelding: 'It`s nice to get him back because after his first encouraging run for us, he`s had nothing but problems, especially with his feet, but he is feeling much more comfortable now and just wants to get on and gallop.'

Connections of 4-5 chance Lord North considered withdrawing the six-year-old from the Brimardon Latest Results novices chase after noticing a spot of blood on his nostril.

Trainer Paul Webber took the trouble to have his charge scoped and only gave him the all-clear to run when he was found to be clean.

After Mick Fitzgerald brought Lord North home six lengths to the good over Tumbleweed Glen, Webber explained: 'There was a little bit of blood on his left nostril as we were saddling him, but to give the horse his credit, he didn`t mind having the scope up his nose and, apart from slipping at the first ditch down the back, he jumped well enough.

German trainer, Christian Von Der Recke, was delighted with the performance of his Grafton Truce to finish a four-length second behind Martin Pipe`s La Maestra in the Brimardon 16 Years of Winners Selling Hurdle. Grafton Truce goes under the hammer at Doncaster tomorrow with a reserve of 10,000 guineas on his head.

La Maestra was the subject of a heated bidding duel at the auction between Pipe and Sue Wilton and was eventually knocked down to the latter for 9,500 guineas.

The opening Brimardon Computer Racing Mares Only Novices Handicap Hurdle saw John Mackie continuing his rich vein of form as Herself landed the spoils under Carl Rafter. Mackie, successful with Reggie Buck and Speed Venture at the weekend, said: 'She deserved that, she tries very hard.'

The market told the story in the Unsworth Sugden Advertising Handicap Chase with Coolteen Hero making all under top amateur Robert Walford to score by seven lengths from Quainton Hills.