Williams bounces back with double

Out of luck in the big races over Christmas, Venetia Williams bounced back with an 11-1 double at Haydock today.

On Thursday her Jocks Cross had to settle for a gallant second when bidding to repeat last year`s win in the Welsh National at Chepstow, 24 hours after stable-companion Bellator had refused to race in Kempton`s King George VI Chase.

But Ask June and Harvis showed that the trainer remains in good form after a slow period with authoritative victories at the Merseyside track.

The latter was returning from a 10-month lay-off in the Satellite Sports Services` Novices` Chase but was always in command on his first run over British fences and only tiredness on the run-in prevented his scoring by a good deal further than an eventual three-and-a-half-length winning margin.

'That was very nice, though he did run over fences in France so he was more experienced than most novices, ' Miss Williams said of the 5-2 winner.

Ask June (5-2 joint-favourite) had not been at all hard pressed to initiate a double for Miss Williams and jockey Brian Crowley in the EBF SIS `National Hunt` Novices` Hurdle.

She cruised through to lead at the second-last flight, survived a mistake there and went on to score very comfortably by nine lengths from Shardam. Black frost was a remote last of five finishers.

'She did it very nicely,' Miss Williams said of the winner. 'She could go for the mares` novice hurdle final at Newbury.'

Wonder Weasel earned a tilt at next month`s Stg£50,000-added Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster by defying top-weight with a gutsy victory in the TRNI Handicap Chase.