Maguire has 1,835-1 treble

ADRIAN MAGUIRE reached a belated half century and completed a magnificent 1,835 to 1 treble at Warwick yesterday.

Injury has held up the winning charge of the talented Meathman this season but he showed that his skills remain as sharp as ever.

He moved onto the 50 mark when Diamond Fort middle leg of the treble landed the Agincourt Handicap Chase to give trainer John McConnochie his first success of the season.

Maguire had waited patiently before sending the doughty stayer past Distinctive to score by three and a half lengths.

"Adrian rode this horse last season but I don't think he's had a winner for me before. He's done it perfectly," said McConnochie. "I don't have many horses and was too scared to run them early because of the ground. We just got them going when the weather stopped us over Christmas but maybe this is the start of better things."

Maguire had set the ball rolling when Chicodari, watched by his 95 year old owner Brigadier Roscoe Harvey, came good in the Crecy Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Equipped with blinkers for the first time, the gelding easily took the measure of Hamilton Silk to make amends for a disappointing effort at Sandown.

Maguire rounded off the day with a victory on 33 to 1 shot Rainham in the Waterloo Handicap Hurdle. "He's not bad that Adrian Maguire is he?" joked winning trainer Ginger McCain. "This horse needed this as he'd lost his bottle a bit after two falls."

Idiot's Lady is a possible for the Sun Alliance Chase after justifying odds of 8 to 13 with a comfortable defeat of Fixtures secretary in the Blenheim Novices' Chase.

Some extensive schooling work from Jonothan Lower helped Big Strand make a winning fencing debut in the Trafalagar Novices' Chase.

Martin Pipe's gelding profited when the favourite The Caumrue fell three from home.