Stylish win for Striking A Pose

Tizzard four-year-old easily defied top weight at Wincanton.

Striking A Pose is expected to go on to bigger and better things after initiating a Wincanton double for Colin Tizzard and Robbie Power.

Bought for GBP 95,000 after impressing on his sole start in the point-to-point field, Striking A Pose had finished third on his first two starts over hurdles at Newton Abbot and Ascot in October.

Despite carrying the welter burden of 12 stone in the Racing TV Profits Returned To Racing ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, the four-year-old cruised clear of his rivals – passing the post eight and half lengths clear of Hugos Other Horse to win at 10-1.

“Striking A Pose is a lovely horse who just needed the experience on his first couple of runs,” said Joe Tizzard, assistant to his father.

“I think the step up in trip suited him, and he’s done it nicely today.

“Hopefully there’s more to come from him.”

Tizzard and Power were soon on the mark again, with Darlac also proving much too good for his rivals in the Weatherbys Racing Bank Silver Buck Handicap Chase.

Darlac jumps the final fence clear of his rivals
Darlac jumps the final fence clear of his rivals (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The 7-2 chance fell on a couple of occasions last season, and again came to grief on his first start of the current campaign at Newton Abbot in September.

However, after filling the runner-up spot twice since, the Lucarno gelding went one better in some style – with an impressive round of jumping helping him seal a seven-and-a-half-length verdict over Forgot To Ask.

Tizzard added: “We ran Darlac in a beginners chase last time, because he’s had three falls over fences. That last run helped him regain his confidence – and today he bore the fruit of that, because he jumped super and won it like he could.

“He’s a horse with a bit of ability, as he proved in novice hurdles a couple of years ago.”

Global Harmony (3-1) opened her account for brothers Dan and Harry Skelton in the Watch Racing TV In Stunning HD Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The daughter of Flemensfirth was not winning out of turn, having been placed in four of her previous six starts.

Dan Skelton said: “She’s been running well in defeat, and I actually had a little hold-up with her after her first run of the season at Perth in September.

“Her last run at Warwick was another good run after what was almost a bit of a lay-off, so I thought she’d go very well today.

“She was the highest-rated horse in the race, and I thought off her mark she’d take a bit of beating anyway – I didn’t think we had to improve a great deal to win.”

Charlie Case steering Kilbrew Boy (green) to victory
Charlie Case steering Kilbrew Boy (green) to victory (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Kilbrew Boy justified 6-5 favouritism in the Visit racingtv.com Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase for the father-and-son combination of Ben and Charlie Case.

Victor Dartnall’s River Bray landed the Use The racingtv.com Tracker Handicap Hurdle under Tom Scudamore, before conditional jockey Bryan Carver steered Robert Walford’s Ede’iffs Elton (11-2 favourite) home in front in the Weatherbys Racing Bank Foreign Exchange Handicap Chase.

The concluding junior bumper went to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 4-6 favourite I Like To Move It, ridden by Jordan Nailor.

Following up his debut win at Aintree last month, the three-year-old easily conceded weight all round and was more than eight lengths too good for market rival Mondora in second.

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Colin Tizzard Robbie Power

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