Racing: Suny Bay ensures another grey day

SUNY BAY was not a certainty at Haydock yesterday but before, during and at the end of the Tommy Whittle Chase he gave barely a moment's worry to those punters who had backed him to 4-11 on the assumption that he would do until such a mythical beast came along. The grey nine-year- old jumped more or less immaculately to gain his revenge, by three and a half lengths, over Earth Summit, his conqueror in the Grand National eight months ago.

On the book Suny Bay could not be beaten. Officially the best staying chaser in the country, the conditions of the three-mile race meant that he was meeting Lord Gyllene and Earth Summit, who had relegated him to second place at Aintree last year, on level terms instead of conceding them lumps of weight. Only a fall could prevent him winning and once he had put his habitual blip behind him he was foot-perfect.

His mistake came when he took off too close to the second fence and rather breasted the obstacle, but he has made many worse blunders in the past and still stood up. Graham Bradley sat tight and the brief moment of crisis passed.

Suny Bay was accompanied by another of his colour, The Grey Monk, and it was like watching Pegasus in stereo as the pair matched strides and leaps on the first circuit. Lord Gyllene, having his first run since winning his Grand National, was their shadow until ring-rustiness told half-way down the back straight, where Earth Summit, running without his customary blinkers, took his place.

The Grey Monk was the first of the three leaders, who rounded the final bend abreast, to crack and as he dropped back Suny Bay's class took him to a clear lead after a reminder from Bradley and a particularly fine jump two out settled the issue. "He was dossing all the way," said his trainer Simon Sherwood. Suny Bay's next target is the valuable Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown over the Christmas holiday.

Earth Summit, though, had kept his old rival right up to his work and lost nothing at all in defeat; quite the contrary. The performance of the 10-year-old, over a distance perceived as well short of his best, was a revelation and his trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is now considering a tilt at the Gold Cup before a return to Aintree.

Steve Brookshaw was delighted with fourth-placed Lord Gyllene on his comeback from a leg injury. The big New Zealand-bred jumped with all his old fluency and enthusiasm and has the Peter Marsh Limited Handicap Chase back at the Lancashire venue next month pencilled in. "That will have blown the cobwebs away," the trainer said.

In the afternoon's big handicap chase, the Tripleprint Gold Cup at Cheltenham, Northern Starlight proved a more than adequate substitute for his Martin Pipe-trained stablemate Cyfor Malta, ruled out of the two mile, five furlong contest with a minor setback earlier in the week.

Northern Starlight, whose stamina is proven over three miles, was given a typically positive ride by Tony McCoy and responded willingly to the tactics. The perky little white-faced bay - a tiny individual by jumping standards at only 15.2 hands high - was not headed for a stride and jumped the last as neatly as a showjumper, with his ears pricked and his front toes tidily tucked away.

On the run up the hill to the line, the topweight Simply Dashing, runner- up to Cyfor Malta in the Murphy's Gold Cup on the course last month, made a brave effort to catch him but the concession of 40lb was too much and the gallant Northern raider had to once again settle for second place. It was seven lengths back to Mr Strong Gale.

McCoy heaped praise on his partner. "He may be small but he's tough and has an unbelievable heart. He tries hard and helps you all the way, which makes my job so much easier."

Relkeel benefited from a blunder at the final flight by Grey Shot to repeat his win 12 months ago in the Bula Hurdle. Grey Shot had jumped superbly in front all the way round and after being pressed by Relkeel, Pridwell and Midnight Legend off the final bend had apparently asserted again going to the last. But he landed flat-footed and the loss of momentum was enough to allow Relkeel to regain the initiative and hold it by half a length.

It was a good effort by the injury-prone Relkeel, who was conceding 8lb to his younger rival. But at this stage there seems no serious threat to the supremacy of reigning hurdles champion Istabraq, who is 5-4 to retain his title, with Dato Star - a faller yesterday - Wahiba Sands and Blowing Wind next best at 16-1 and Relkeel and Grey Shot on 20-1.