HORSE racing proved a popular local attraction last weekend when the Family Funday at sun-drenched Chester drew a modern-day record crowd of 46,137, while 4,364 national hunt enthusiasts attended the meeting at Bangor-on-Dee last Friday.
Fire Dragon gave champion jockey Tony McCoy the first leg of a double when winning the opener at Bangor-on-Dee. Three from home, McCoy sent the 5-4 on favourite into the lead and surged clear to win by two lengths from Silencio.
McCoy was back in the winners' en-closure after recording a six-length success aboard In Discussion in the David Manning Associates Novices' Handicap Steeplechase. The pace was set by Colliers Court but In Discussion was travelling well and, after jumping into the lead over the last, showed a good turn of foot heading to the winning post.
Starting the evens favourite, First Ballot was always in contention throughout the Everyone's A Winner At Bangor Races Novices' Steeplechase. Despite lacking concentration at times, Richard Young kept the eight-year-old up to his work and relegated Undeniable to second place.
One-and-three-quarter lengths was the winning distance in the Jewson Novices' Hurdle Race in which the field was quickly strung out. Smith's Tribe went to the front three out, but Timmy Murphy was always going easily aboard Sardagna, who started at 5-4 and jumped into the lead over the last flight to record her third successive victory.
Long-time leader Vitelucy was an un-lucky faller before the final bend in the Rippleffect Handicap Hurdle, leaving San Marco in front. David Dennis sent the 3-1 favourite home to record a winning margin of more than one length as the challenge from Russian Court failed to materialise.
Racing closed with the bangorondeeraces.co.uk Conditional Jockeys' Handicap and a two-and-a-half-length win for Mensch ridden by Christian Williams. Adalpour stayed on to finish in second place.
Action at Chester's Sunday meeting began with the Warwick International Nursery Stakes and a decisive win for 8-1 shot Golden Legacy, ridden by Paul Hanagan. The partnership defied a poor break and an outside draw to score by three-and-a-half lengths from I'm Aimee.
Alan Bailey, who trains near Tarporley, sent out the second and third-placed horses in the Cheshire County Council Foster Care EBF Maiden Stakes. Wizardmicktee was two lengths in arrears of the 2-1 favourite Love And Laughter, who swooped to win with a late run. Oxford Street Pete finished a further length-anda-half away in third place.
There was an exciting finish to the Halliwell Jones BMW Mile with three horses almost in a line at the winning post. Hold-up tactics adopted by Fran Ferris aboard Nashaab, who showed a good turn of foot, resulted in a short head victory for the 5-1 joint favourite.
High Action, sent off at 5-4, led from pillar to post in the sportingoptions.co.uk Curzon Park Rated Stakes to win the three-horse contest by three-quarters of a length. Winning trainer Ian Williams said: 'He's game and stayed well, it was a fine effort from both horse and jockey Daryl Holland. He'll be well handicapped if he gets into the Ebor but needs fast ground.'
In the final strides, Fergus Sweeney, aboard 4-1 chance Rum Shot, galloped clear of Talbot Avenue to win the Cheshire Life Queensferry Stakes by half a length. The weekend's finale produced four horses abreast approaching the line in the Aldford Glass & Hope House Handicap Stakes after Ben Hur had set the pace. Sualda surged ahead by half a length to give Paul Hanagan a double aboard the 5-1 shot.
