JOSH GIFFORD saddled Yorkshire Gale to win a match at Cheltenham yesterday and then blamed summer jumping and too much moderate racing for the plethora of small fields.
The Findon trainer abandoned his principles by risking Yorkshire Gale in the Wragge and Co Challenge Handicap Chase, just six days after the 10-year-old had finished fourth at Wetherby. But the gamble paid off as his charge claimed his fourth course victory, making all the running to beat only rival Glemot by 10 lengths.
Yorkshire Gale is among Gifford's better horses but he claimed fields for these events will not improve while the racing programme, which now includes summer jumping, caters for horses of moderate ability.
Gifford is keen to aim Yorkshire Gale at the Grand National but he is losing the argument with owner Bill Naylor and the horse is likely to miss both the Betterware Cup and Welsh National as well.
The Million In Mind partnership was celebrating its fourth victory in five runnings of the Letheby and Christopher Three Yrs Old Novices' Hurdle when Disallowed made a winning debut.
The ex-Michael Bell-trained filly followed Beauchamp Grace, Mysilv and Our Kris, 12 months ago, into the winner's enclosure.
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