Air Of Triumph For Fit-Again Scudamore

Tom Scudamore enjoyed the benefits of his battle with medical red tape as he brought Desert Air up the hill to spring a 25-1 surprise for Martin Pipe in the £100,000 Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

One of four horses representing the reigning champion trainer, Desert Air led at the second-last flight and held the late challenge of Nathos (25-1) by a length and a quarter.

Fenix (14-1) was another six lengths back in third, with Chief Yeoman (16-1) fourth.

It was Scudamore´s first day back since being stood down for a statutory seven-day period after suffering concussion in a fall at Taunton last Friday.

But he was only given the all-clear to return to the saddle after 'kicking up a stink' when doctors told him no appointment was available for him to be given the all-clear.

'The problem was that I had the fall just before New Year and after that there was nobody at the Jockey Club for a couple of days to send me the forms to fill in and to help me organise an appointment to be cleared to ride,' he said.

'I passed my cognitive test in Leamington Spa on Thursday but then they said I had to see a neurologist and nobody was available for a week because of an administrative error, which meant my details hadn´t been passed on.

'I rang my dad (former champion jump jockey Peter Scudamore) and Dr John Disney, who were both very helpful, and dad said that I should kick up a stink as it wasn´t my error.

'There was a lot of cursing going on yesterday, but then at 11am they said I could have an appointment so I dashed up to London and now it was worth all the fuss.

'I rode this horse when he finished second at Cheltenham last time and although we thought he had an each-way chance we weren´t necessarily expecting him to win, so it is great.

'The boss had a bit of a quiet time in December, but we have had this and a nice winner at Haydock today so things are coming good again.

'I´m sure my wife will spend my share of the prize money at the sales.'

With Pipe on holiday in South Africa it was left to son and assistant, David, to accept the winner´s trophy.

'We thought they would all have a chance but that maybe the lower weight in the ground would swing it towards Not Left Yet and Miss Academy. But Desert Air was fourth in this last year and benefited from a more positive ride,' he said.

'Dad has already been on to say well done - he´s watching it from over there.

'Christian Williams was down to ride it in the paper, but we always wanted to Tom to ride him again as long as he passed the doctor.'

Williams may have missed out there (although the racecourse commentator still called him as winning), but there was no argument about him having partnered Noland to a smooth victory in the Grade One Anglo Irish Bank Corporate Treasury Tolworth Hurdle.

The 6-4 favourite, trained by Paul Nicholls, joined long-time leader Whispered Promises at the penultimate flight and forged clear to win the Grade One contest by five lengths. Albarino was third.

'He jumps well and will make a lovely chaser,' Nicholls said.

'I was really concerned about the ground. That bit of snow and rain has got in and it´s horrible ground.

'He galloped up the hill nicely and will be much more effective on better ground. It´s a long way from the last bend to the winning post.

'He´s still a big, green baby. He was looking about and will be much better in a more competitive race.'

Noland´s price for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices´ Hurdle now varies between 12-1 and 16-1 and Nicholls confirmed that race to be the target.

He said: 'I´ll probably find another race for him a month before then in a National Hunt novice hurdle, but it wouldn´t bother me if he didn´t run again before then. I don´t know if he is good enough, but the Supreme would be the obvious race for him.'

Williams´ up-and-down day had taken a negative swing in the preceding event when he came crashing down two out aboard favourite Ladalko, handing the race to the lightly-raced Graphic Approach in the Bet With Ladbrokes On 0800 524524 Handicap Chase.

Although Graphic Approach, a 7-1 chance, idled slightly on the run-in, Tony McCoy was there to stoke him up again for a three-and-a-half-length victory over Shalako.

'I think he would probably have won anyway as Ladalko was tiring,' said trainer Charlie Egerton.

'This was the race I had in mind for him but now I will think about either the Vodafone Gold Cup at Newbury or the Racing Post Chase.'

Dempsey ran a fine prep for the Victor Chandler Chase when taking the two-mile ladbrokes.com Chase on his seasonal bow under Andrew Tinkler.

Tinkler, who had earlier partnered a winner at Fontwell, flew in to take the reins on the 17-2 chance, who jumped fluently throughout on his way to beating Tikram.

'We will have to look at the Victor Chandler now,' said trainer Mark Pitman.

'He went up in the weights for coming third to Ashley Brook at Aintree and I was worried about the soft ground for him today, but he seems to have become a man.'

Sponsors VC Bet slashed him from 20-1 to 7-1 for their race at the end of the month, Dempsey picking up just a 4lb penalty for this win.

William Hill were more generous at 12-1, with Ladbrokes, Totesport and Bet365 going 10-1.

Refinement stretched her unbeaten record to four with an improved jumping performance to win the Play Casino at ladbrokes.com Mares´ Only Handicap Hurdle.

Trainer Jonjo O´Neill described the seven-year-old´s early attempts at jumping hurdles as 'pretty appalling' and her efforts in that area thus far on the racecourse had left something to be desired.

But seemingly appreciating the cut in the ground, the smart bumper performer looked more accomplished as she cruised into the lead between the final two flights and stayed on strongly to beat Pay Attention by four lengths.

'I think in the soft ground they went a bit slower and that probably helped,' said O´Neill of his 5-6 winner.

'She´s got a way to go before we think about Cheltenham and we´ll probably look to give her a spin somewhere else before we think about that. We might just stick to mares´ only races with her.'

Ladbrokes quote Refinement at a best-priced 25-1 for the Supreme Novices´ Hurdle in March.

Punters got the hump in the opening contest when 50-1 outsider Quasimodo held off the challenge of Ostrogoth.

Wayne Hutchinson´s mount took up the running at the third flight in the Play Poker At ladbrokes.com Juvenile Hurdle and was booted clear going to the last.

But a bad mistake there cost him vital momentum and the winner was all out to hold off the renewed challenge of the runner-up by a short-head with favourite Spidam a one-paced third.

? PA Sport