HUNTINGDON RACES: Delight for Dunne, woe for Woods

Kielan Woods (right) was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg.

As the latest confirmations came in for Saturday’s £1 million spectacular at Aintree, it was revealed that Gas Line Boy would definitely make the final 40 runners for the rider.

And it didn’t take long for Dunne to be in the winners’ enclosure at the Cambridgeshire track when the Sarah Hollinshead-trained Head High won for him at odds of 13-2 in the Six Places At Aintree At 188Bet Maiden Hurdle.

Jockey Ciaran Gethings meanwhile is now within two winners of his seasonal-best total after riding Katy P to glory in the US Masters Golf At 188Bet Maiden Novices’ Hurdle. Trainer Philip Hobbs’ five-year-old triumphed by half a length.

Gethings said of the 7-2 winner: “The nicer ground has been the making of her. She’s a nice mare.”

Meldrum Lad landed a gamble in the 188bet.co.uk Chase for handler Seamus Durack who acknowledged that he had had a bet himself. The horse was priced at 10-1 in the morning, but was backed into 4-1 favourite and landed the two-and-a-half mile contest.

The trainer said: “I had a tiny bit on myself, but I’d say there was a lot of outside money for him.”

Other winners on the day included Ryeolliean, the 11-4 favourite, in the 188Bet Handicap Hurdle, another market leader Peal Of Bells (7-4) in the Follow Us On Twitter At 188Bet Handicap Hurdle, Troufion at 4-1 in the Bet £10 Get £30 At 188Bet Handicap Chase and Cresswell Legend at 7-2 in the Live Casino at 188Bet Standard National Hunt Flat Race.

Jockey Kielan Woods was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured leg after suffering a fall. He was riding Bare Necessities in the 188Bet Handicap Hurdle when his mount fell at the second flight. Clerk of the Course Jack Pryor said: “He has been transferred to Hinchingbrooke Hospital. He is conscious and fine within himself. He has a suspected injury to his left leg.”

The jockeys wore black armbands in memory to point-to-point rider James McNeile who died in a fall at Larkhill at the weekend.

The next fixture at Huntingdon is the Easter Monday Big Family Raceday. An advance ticket offer is available - £25 for two adults, up to four children and two Easter sweet bags. The star attraction will be Paddington Bear who will make appearances at intervals during the day. There is also lots of free entertainment being laid on.

More information and advance tickets are available online at http://huntingdon.thejockeyclub.co.uk or on 0844 579 3007.