Filanderer grabs Veterans’ victory at Market Rasen

Filanderer shone brightest of all when taking the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

Hughie Morrison’s 10-year-old came into the race a 7-2 chance, with some real favourites among the seven rivals lining up against him.

The bay, who was bred and is owned by Morrison’s wife Mary, proved to be in the form of his life as an improved round of jumping led to an impressive 11-length triumph under Jonathan Burke.

“We’re thrilled, especially so because Mary owns him and bred him. That makes a huge difference,” said the winning trainer.

“The veterans’ chases form a great series, this horse has won four chases and that didn’t win him £15,000 – but he’s just won over £23,000 in one go.

“He came here 15 months ago and won, if it wasn’t for that we’d probably have retired him.

“We’ll look to the final now, he loves that sort of ground and I love running chasers in the first race of the day on the chase track – on that fresh ground.”

Heart Over Head defied a hefty rise in ratings to land the Easter Sunday Classic Vehicle Rally Handicap Hurdle at odds of 18-5 for Fergal O’Brien.

The seven-year-old took a Uttoxeter event by 15 lengths last time and received a 10lb rise as a result, but under Burke he was still equal to the task again when following up with a two-length win.

“The whole family go on soft ground, he’s been a slow burner but the boys have been very patient with him,” said O’Brien.

“He’s got plenty ahead of him. He was under 12 stone 2 (lbs) but as he’s a tricky ride, he pulls and he hangs, so we decided not to claim off him and instead to use Johnny and just take the weight.”

Hold The Serve demonstrated his promise again with a comprehensive victory in the Book Our Caravan Park In 2026 Novices’ Hurdle.

The Olly Murphy-trained gelding is an Irish point-to-point winner who failed to live up to expectations on his debut at Cheltenham in November, but a subsequent wind operation seemed to do the trick over two and a half miles at Wincanton the following month.

He was the 2-5 favourite to follow up in Lincolnshire, and duly did so under Lewis Saunders in a straightforward nine-length victory.

“We’ve always thought he was a very nice horse, he’s just taken a bit of time to get going,” the winning rider said.

“The wind operation has improved him a lot and it wasn’t a bad race to be fair, but he’s won like an odds-on favourite should.

“I’d rather he went up in trip than down and he’s quite slow, but his jumping is spot on and he doesn’t over-race or anything, he’s a nice, straightforward horse.”