By Max Banner
WINS at Worcester for all three of this season’s leading riders at the track on Friday (September 23) ensured that the course’s jockey championship would go down to the wire.
A win and three placed efforts for Richard Johnson saw him tie for lead on 162 points with Aidan Coleman, who was also amongst the winners on the Pitchcroft venue’s penultimate fixture of the year.
A brace of victories for Sam Twiston-Davies has given him faint hopes of landing the championship, leaving him 14 points behind the front pair, ahead of Worcester’s final meeting of the year on October 19.
Coleman went into the day leading by 10 and a win aboard Jonjo O’Neill’s smooth travelling Mont Royale in the day’s third race, the Class 3 Bob Love ‘King Of The Dirt’ Memorial Handicap Chase, secured him eight more points.
Talking about Mont Royale’s victory, Coleman said: “He travelled and jumped very well, he’s a very uncomplicated horse and the second horse is in great form so it’s nice to beat him.”
Coleman’s second aboard Linguine in the fifth race, the ROA/Racing Post Owner’s Jackpot Novices’ Hurdle, bagged him six more points but it was the Tim Vaughan trained Canton Prince and Johnson who sealed glory with an impressive eight length victory, despite some sketchy leaps on his way around.
“He did it nicely in the end and hopefully he’s a nice, improving horse,” said Johnson on Canton Prince.
Johnson got eight points for that win and gained 16 extra points through placed efforts across the card.
Two seconds aboard Be Seeing You and Apple Of My Eye and a third aboard Sarpech in the day’s finale meant he finished the day equal with Coleman at the top of the leaderboard.
Be Seeing You found only Rock Of Leon and Twiston-Davies too good in the selling hurdle at 4:05. This was the second of the rider’s victories on the card, the first being aboard the potentially exciting Southfield Vic for Paul Nicholls in the opening race, a novice chase.
“He’s had a bit of a holiday but was always going to come on for it. Hopefully this is just the start before some back end handicap chases,” said Twiston-Davies about Southfield Vic.
Apple Of My Eye was comprehensively beaten by Miss Crick in the Steve White 60 Not Out Handicap Hurdle, a win which saw the victor go four wins from five this season.
Winning jockey Wayne Hutchinson was very pleased with the mare’s performance.
“It was grand. She’s been progressive all summer and she’s going the right way.”
Sarpech was beaten into third by winner The Way You Dance, who was guided home under a confident Sean Corby ride, and Billy My Boy for jockey Giles Hawkins and trainer Chris Down.
The second race saw Dealing River notch up a fourth course success, as the nine year old gelding ran out a five length winner of the Class 4 Handicap Chase for Caroline Bailey and jockey Harry Skelton.
AS IT STANDS
1= Aidan Coleman 162 points
Richard Johnson 162 points
3= Sam Twiston-Davies 148 points