TEMPLE Guiting trainer Jonjo O’Neill’s renaissance continued when Oscar Fortune (15-2) won under Dougie Costello in Saturday’s Betfred “Home of Goals Galore” Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Haydock.
McCoy then guided O’Neill’s 11-4 favourite Beg To Differ to success in the Join Us Thursday 5th March Handicap Hurdle at Carlisle on Monday.
At Fakenham, McCoy eventually secured victory for O’Neill’s struggling 4-9 favourite Capard King in the At The Races Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
There was a Cotswold treble at Market Rasen through trainer Charlie Longsdon’s Our Kaempfer (evens favourite), O’Neill’s Less Time (7-1) and Graeme McPherson’s Trafficker (15-2).
O’Neill was also successful at Sandown with Ivy Gate (3-1), while Naunton handler Nigel Twiston-Davies picked up wins at Ffos Las with Foxbridge (11-4) and at Wolverhampton with Aldeburgh (3-1).
Meanwhile, O’Neill has Irish Grand National hero and ante-post favourite Shutthefrontdoor (11st 2lb), Sunnyhillboy (10st 8lb) and Merry King (10st 5lb) entered for the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree on April 11.
Stow-on-the-Wold trainer David Bridgwater will do his best rain dance ahead of Wyck Hill’s attempt to win back-to-back renewals of the Betfred Eider Chase at Newcastle on Saturday.
The Stow-on-the-Wold handler hopes the rain arrives in the lead-up to the stamina-sapping four-mile-one-furlong event.
Twelve months ago, the 11-year-old, best-priced at 12-1 this year, outbattled favourite Smoking Aces by three-quarters-of-a-length to give owner JP McManus a one-two.
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