Dino Velvet triumphs in handicap hurdle

Winner of the £21,800 Market Rasen Town Council Handicap Hurdle Dino Velvet returns to the winners enclosure with Wayne Hutchinson on board.

The event was part of the course’s Town and Community initiative, the card being sponsored by the Town Council in association with West Lindsey District Council.

Racecourse chairman Tommy Cooper said in his programme notes: “The life and times of this racecourse within the town and and community should be remembered.

“I hope the many activities today presented by local business, services and community together with the pop-up market and displays of the history of the town remind us of why we all do love Market Rasen.”

For the big race champion jockey Richard Johnson, who is seeking his third title, was on board The Twisler, but it was Jimmy Rabbitte who was sent to the post as favourite of the 11 runners.

Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland saddled the favourite, who was seeking a trio of hurdle wins and had 5lb claimer Charlie Hammond on board.

These entries showed the quality of the race.

However, it was the Alan King-trained Dino Velvet (13/2) who claimed the prize with another leading jockey in Wayne Hutchinson doing the steering.

The winner capitalised on a drop in class to win at Ayr in April but form was disappointing after that-until Sunday.

Hutchinson was looking to make it a double when, in a two-horse race, he had the ride on the odds on favourite Chosen Path in the fourth race of the afternoon the Love Lincolnshire Wolds Class 3 Novices Steeplechase.

The favourite never looked fluent with his jumping and was overtaken after the last by the only other runner Skipthecuddles (13/8), ridden by Kielan Woods and trained by Graeme McPherson at Stow on the Wold.

Total prize money for the two horse event was £13,800.

If these were the mid-afternoon highlights there was local interest in the last race when Brigg trainer Nick Kent saddled Picknick Park in the visitlincolnshire.com chase.

Charlie Hammond had the ride in the Class 5 race.

Kent is a part owner in the horse and after showing only modest form over hurdles the seven-year-old showed up reasonably well in his chasing debut at Bangor last time out.

Though it was time for tea in the fast fading light, Picknick (9/4) ran a decent race to come second behind the 2/1 joint favourite Miss Amelia, who was only-one-and-a-half lengths ahead when the post arrived.