Lavelle double can't disguise Hutsby delight at first professional winner
Stratford's first Saturday fixture of 2026 saw a card dominated by women, who won four of the six races as trainers, including a double for Emma Lavelle.
With a month to go before the season concludes, Emma Lavelle is on course for her best season since a personal career best in 2018-19. Her double brought up 34 winners for the season, topped by another the following day at Ascot.
Harry Cobden got the ball rolling in the opening mares novices hurdle, steering Watamu to a comfortable 3 1/4l victory over Siorai to capitalize on the promise the mare had shown at Huntingdon in December. This was an altogether easier task than in a listed mares event at Newbury earlier in the month. Even so, her hurdling is far from foot-perfect.
Three hours later, Charlie Todd had to work somewhat harder to complete the double, when Two To Tango held off a sustained challenge from favourite Regal Renaissance in the Molson Coors Handicap Chase over 2m 3f to win by a neck.
Regal Renaissance was a second second place finish for Sam Twiston-Davies during the afternoon, and herself has a case of hitting the bar on frequent occasions. The mare will win under her own steam in due course.
The Twiston-Davies family rarely leave Stratford empty-handed, and this was not to be an exception to that rule of thumb. Harbour Light, successful here at the opening meet earlier in the month, struck again under Sam in the 2m 6f handicap hurdle, defying top weight to beat Churchman a length, when conceding 23lb. he looks capable of going in again.
A history of racing at Stratford is unlikely to make much mention of the Luke & Michaela's First Wedding anniversary Selling Hurdle. However, it produced a minor milestone for newly fledged conditional rider Tom Hutsby, who secured his first winner as a pro for boss Olly Murphy on Junker d'Allier, an 8 1/2l winner of this lowest rank contest. The Hutsby name is well known in racing circles; father Fred was a more than capable Point-to-Point rider, now turned trainer, and young Tom has followed a similar path. He certainly produced the biggest smile of the afternoon for a maiden professional winner.
Prize for the longest journey must surely go to Suzie Smith and Isabelle Ryder, who teamed up to win the middle distance handicap chase with Tapley, another unlikely to make waves in racing's annals. Yet for all of his 117 rating, he's won 7 of his 35 starts for the Plumpton Party ownership group, and rarely runs out of the frame. Many owners would give their eye teeth for that.
Favourite backers were happier to see Kielan Woods barely raise a sweat in bringing Lord of the Glance to win the Madeleine Wann - Weight Loss Coach Novices' Limited Handicap Hurdle by a handsome 10l for Alex Hales, who is one of a number of trainers now bringing back some glory to the Edgcote Estate, former home of great horses like Spanish Steps.
But the women had the last word, as usual. Sean Quinlan made it count in the closing OOH Handicap Hurdle on Telhimlisten for a cosy length victory over Soldier's Leap to make the trek from Staffordshire worthwhile for Jenny Candlish.
