Racing: Walsh sparks dynamic Devereaux

Two-mile win completes treble as Collonges and Creek boost Festival claims at Haydock

A sparkling treble by the best jockey in these isles who isn't Tony McCoy, a chance gloriously taken, two gallant moral victories, a miracle recovery, a solo tour de force, a boxful of pieces for the Cheltenham jigsaw and a monster gamble foiled all contributed yesterday to a highly entertaining afternoon as jump racing returned to business as usual after two blank weekends.

Ruby Walsh was the star here, following successes on Epervier D'Or and Bal De Nuit by completing a 362-1 treble in the day's richest contest, the Tote Exacta Chase, on Young Devereaux. The Grade Two two-miler, a replacement for the Victor Chandler Chase, which was frozen off at Ascot a week previously, provided a reminder of the sort of spectacle that might be lost should this lightning-fast track opt for its controversial change to all-weather floodlit sport. The sight of high-class chasers blazing round here is one to stir even the most jaded blood and Young Devereaux and his rivals delivered in spades after Walsh put pedal to the metal as the tapes rose.

He had to keep it there, screaming off the final turn and into the famous three-fence straight with rivals queuing up behind. Fondmort got no further than the third-last, delivering a crunching fall to Norman Williamson, but Seebald was a terrier and Young Devereaux had to win despite, rather than because of, his jumps over the last two obstacles, the only semblances of errors in his round.

Though 10lb better off than when beaten by Young Devereaux at Ascot before Christmas, Seebald was unable to get closer. It was another nine lengths back to Dark'n Sharp with the very early leader Demasta fourth.

"He looked a million dollars in the paddock and felt the same," Walsh said. "I bounced him out of the gate, he took the bridle from me and was always travelling. He wasn't great over the last two, but he was always going to find enough. He jumps, he's got class and courage, everything."

Not quite. What Paul Barber's 10-year-old makes up in engine, he lacks in bodywork. This was only his sixth start in a chase and his trainer, Paul Nicholls, has performed miracles to get even that from him. The gelding has been introduced into the Champion Chase betting but will not be asked to subject his glass forelimbs to the stresses of the Cheltenham hill unless the ground comes up very soft.

With Williamson nursing a sprained ankle, JP McNamara was pulled out of the weighing room to replace him on Non So in the Lanzarote Hurdle and made his first, chance ride for Nicky Henderson a winning one as he drove the 9-1 shot two and a half lengths clear of fast-finishing Hawadeth.

Jim Culloty arrived here by helicopter in time to ride Lord Sam to victory in the closing novices' hurdle after partnering Edredon Bleu to a 15th career win in the John Bull Chase at Wincanton as the evergreen 11-year-old set off springheeled in front and simply broke his only challenger Poliantas's spirit with his jump three out.

The spectacle in the feature at Haydock, too, was one to savour, as Hussard Collonges treated the big, stiff fences with contempt, flicking them in his wake with a series of powerful leaps as Russ Garritty settled him into such a devastating rhythm in front that only Truckers Tavern got by him. Hussard Collonges was conceding his smart rival 15lb and is likely to turn out for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown next month before the Gold Cup itself.

"It's a long time to Cheltenham," said his trainer, Peter Beaumont, "and although they said that we'd left the Gold Cup behind in Ireland when we went there and won with Jodami, we didn't, did we?"

Hussard Collonges remains at around 14-1 for the Gold Cup. But Truckers Tavern, recouping losses after his first-fence fall at Ascot last month, is unlikely to renew rivalry in the big one in March.

Champion Hurdle dark horse Flame Creek threw considerable light on his Festival aspirations in the trial at the Lancashire track, despite blundering two out. Seamus Durack, with his arms wrapped round the seven-year-old's neck, did exceptionally well to maintain the partnership but, once rebalanced, had only to ease his reins a notch after the last to scoot 13 lengths clear. Flame Creek, 66-1 for the title a couple of months ago, is now as low as 10-1 after his fourth successive hurdle victory in only five starts.

Deano's Beeno looked reluctant as he led the field round the stables turn in the Premier Stayers' Hurdle but, once convinced another lap was in order, went down narrowly with utmost honour under a maximum McCoy drive after a battle with Lord Transcend, five years his junior, on the long run-in.

In the day's Grade One contest, the Tolworth Hurdle (transferred from Sandown to Wincanton), Thisthatandtother finally burst the Puntal championship dream. And at Catterick the punting dream of the year so far popped when Edmo Heights nosed out Claude Greengrass, backed from 14-1 to 9-4 on his first start for the Jonjo O'Neill yard.