LA LANDIERE SCOOPS RACING POST CHASE

Richard Johnson failed narrowly in his bid to record a fourth consecutive victory in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on Saturday, as 5/1 chance La Landiere took the #100,000 contest.

But it was still smiles all round despite Johnson having deserted the winner earlier in the week in order to ride runner-up Gunther McBride.

'It didn`t worry me one bit when Richard chose the other one - in fact he is the worst judge since Judge Pickles,' joked winning trainer Richard Phillips.

The race was run at a fierce early gallop as Carbury Cross, Maximize, Gunther McBride, Ryalux and Zafarabad all took turns to dispute the lead.

Gunther McBride went clear down the far side and looked as if he might be on course to repeat his victory of 12 months ago.

But turning for home, the petrol started to empty out on the leader and his fellow joint-favourite La Landiere led at the third-last fence to score pushed out by three lengths .

Ryalux (14/1) rallied bravely to finish a further length back in third place.

'Warren said that when they went round the home turn Richard told him that he thought he was beaten so he thought he had to kick on,' beamed Phillips.

'I wasn`t surprised that Richard chose the other horse and I am pleased for Warren who has been such a big help to the yard.

'It has been a bit of helter-skelter time since we left Jackdaws Castle but we have got a great team and hopefully we are starting to put Adlestrop on the map a bit as a training establishment.

'I ought to thank Colin Smith who gave me my chance at Jackdaws Castle and never gets any credit for what he did for me.

'I am delighted for the owners and delighted most of all for this mare, a wonderful stamp of a mare with a delightful temperament and a pleasure to train.

'She came second to Landing Light at Cheltenham when we were at Jackdaws but she had a hard race and for 18 months we were really struggling with her.

'But putting her over fences this season she has just kept on improving and the handicapper must have been right.'

La Landiere has a host of options at next month`s Cheltenham Festival open to her, including the Mildmay of Flete and the Cathcart Chase, for which she is Coral`s 4/1 favourite.

'The 5lb mares` allowance is a tempting proposition but first we will take her home and she how he is,' said Phillips.

Freelance Marston was celebrating one of his biggest pay-days and not too disappointed at getting one over on his good friend Johnson.

'Don`t you worry about him,' he smiled. 'He`s jocked me off plenty in the past and I`m sure he`ll be OK.

'We missed a couple out down the far side but we were going so fast everything else was too so it didn`t worry me too much.

'I was a bit closer to the pace than I wanted to be but three out I thought I ought to go for it and she kept responding for me.'

Gunther McBride`s trainer Philip Hobbs is looking at the Scottish or Aintree Grand Nationals for his charge, while the latter race is also under consideration by connections of Ryalux.

There was a major shake-up in the betting for the JCB Triumph Hurdle after Well Chief had caused a turn-up in the Singapore Airlines Juvenile Novices` Hurdle.

The Martin Pipe-trained ex-German performer had been totally unfancied when making a winning hurdling debut at Taunton nine days earlier.

But he continued to surprise connections with another success here, Tony McCoy seizing control of the race after the third-last flight and never being headed from that point.

'We discussed before the race that it might be a slow pace and Tony has got it right again,' said Pipe.

'When he quickened up like that he stole it really and then when there was a bit of scrimmaging in behind that helped us.

'He has surprised us a lot, it wasn`t long since he was gelded after he first arrived. He hasn`t done an awful lot of schooling either, just been round the loose school with Jonothan Lower.

'He is in the Triumph and the Supreme Novices` at Cheltenham and I expect he`ll take his chance in one of them.'

Owner David Johnson added: 'He might just be one of those horses who doesn`t do a lot at home but saves it all for the racecourse.

'I have already backed another one - Enitsag - for the Triumph. But this one might have to go for it too now!'

Despite the uncertainty over plans, Well Chief is now as short as 5/1 with William Hill and Ladbrokes for the Triumph Hurdle.

Favourite Saintsaire again disappointed, being caught out when the pace suddenly quickened from the early crawl, and was taken out of the betting for the Triumph by Victor Chandler.

Mick Fitzgerald reported that his mount was unsuited by the uneven pace of the race.

Johnson`s day had got off to a dream start when Hand Inn Hand made every yard to win the opener.

The Henry Daly-trained gelding was weak in the market and drifted out to 3/1 as fears over his ability to act on the quick ground surfaced.

But Hand Inn Hand bounced offthe turf as he jumped like a buck on his way to beating Druid`s Glen by five lengths in the Read The Racing Post Pendil Novices` Chase.

'He is out of a half-sister to Morley Street and Granville Again so we hoped he would handle the ground but he wouldn`t have run if it was any quicker than this,' said Hand Inn Hand`s owner and breeder Patrick Burling.

'He might go for the Arkle but he also has an entry in the Cathcart as two miles could be a bit sharp for him, although he would certainly appreciate the hill.

'Richard isn`t sure, he just knows that he goes well. Henry is at Huntingdon today so we will discuss the situation with him and make our minds up.'