News Big performance to claim Future Champion glory

Big performance to claim Future Champion glory

racing

Bigmartre fended off Cobra De Mai to win the Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices' Chase at Ayr.

Harry Whittington's charge was always prominent in the hands of Harry Bannister, but Adrien Du Pont was pushed to the head of the field at halfway in the two-and-a-half-mile event and he was still in the mix with four to jump.

However, he crashed out at the fourth-last fence and with the fading favourite Mia's Storm also coming down at that obstacle, Bigmartre and Cobra De Mai had the race between themselves as Peregrine Run was ploughing on at one pace at the back of the field.

A nice leap at the last sealed victory for Bigmartre, though, with the 4-1 shot coming home a length and three-quarters clear.

Bannister said: "He's got so much heart and he's a fantastic jumper.

"We queried after Cheltenham (seventh in JLT Novices' Chase) if he got this far, so coming here the ground had come for him.

"With Adrien Du Pont going on, it gave him a chance to have a breather. He didn't have to do the donkey work and it's paid off."