Barbury team make a timely return to winning form with a double on Tuesday

November 26

Happily, Barbury’s frustrating run of near-misses through November came to and end yesterday, with Granny Hawkins winning on her seasonal debut at Hereford, while I’d Go Maniac got up in the last stride to land the finale at Wolverhampton’s all-weather meeting.

Despite being off for four months, Granny Hawkins always looked to be travelling best in the two-mile mares handicap hurdle, and, though Sain Et Sauf did not give up the lead easily, Granny Hawkins,, who relished the decent ground, pinged the final flight, which proved decisive and allowed her to power away for a two and a half lengths success.

I’d Go Maniac, out of his depth against Class 3 company on his return at Ascot in early October, appreciated dropping down two grades at Dunstall Park, and, though still only fifth turning into the straight, jockey Luke Cattan knew he had ‘plenty under the ‘boonet’ and patiently waited for the gap to come up the inside, which it duly did in the last 100 yards. enabling him to get home in a three-way photo.

Fingers crossed the winning run might continue, with Betterforeveryone looking to have a solid chance when he heads to Uttoxeter tomorrow in a bid to follow up last month’s Bangor victory. He is an out-and-out stayer, having won over four miles at Hexham in March, so doubtless Tom Bellamy will make plenty of use of Betterforeveryone’s stamina, and he ought to be a major player off a handicap mark only 3lb higher.

I’m A Lumberjack, who won a low-key novice hurdle at Bangor, albeit  back in April, makes his seasonal reappearance in the finale at Newbury on Friday, He takes on much stronger opposition here in what is his first handicap, but he is lightly-raced and still improving.