Des Ahier’s chestnut gelding had a setback at the start of the year which kept him off the course until the end of May, but he showed distinct signs of a return to form last time and he made every yard of the running in the Deutsche Bank Handicap to hold the challenge of stablemate Off Minor by a neck.
Minnie’s Mystery was only a further neck back in third in a thrilling finish.
Catcando was already the highest rated horse in training in Jersey and this victory, over a trip thought to be just beyond his optimum, can only be rewarded by a further rise in the weights.
Nevertheless, he will remain hard to beat in all races at around a mile in the foreseeable future.
Stephen Arthur made it a double for the night when, in the gathering dusk, Returnofthefairy finished with a flourish to catch Warrior’s Path close to home and hold the challenge of the fast finishing Twist, who may have been a shade unlucky having been very slowly away.
The owners have waited a long time for this win with their five year old home bred mare whose dam, Brown Fairy, was a prolific winner at Les Landes some years ago.
It was good to see their patience rewarded.
The fixture started with a win for Guernsey through Eljay’s Boy in the Midsummer Handicap Hurdle.
He had shown promise in his most recent run and improved again to end the winning streak of Keep On Running.
But it was a close run thing with the latter leading most of the way before being given a breather after the third last flight and then coming again strongly; if he had jumped the last as well as Eljay’s Boy he might have got up, but in the event he was beaten by a neck.
Fait Le Jojo was four lengths back, a slightly disappointing third.
The Abbey International Handicap went to top weight Crossways.
He was heavily bandaged in front, presumably to afford his apparently fragile legs some support on the prevailing firm ground.
It did not seem to inconvenience him and the seven-year-old won convincingly from Hakam, running his best race of the season, and Khuzdar.
The last named is a ‘Greta Garbo’ of a racehorse, seeming to need to be alone.
He raced in last place until the turn for home where he clung to the far rail while the rest of the field swung wide.
He made up a huge amount of ground to be beaten just by two-and-a-half lengths.
The Morgan Stanley Quilter Handicap produced the biggest field of the night, which was reduced when Master Rattle thoroughly misbehaved at the start, eventually depositing David Evans on the deck.
The jockey was alright, but the horse was withdrawn.
Aqua Tiger tried to make all, but he was taken on in the early stages by Johayro and ran too freely, as a result there was not much left in reserve in the last furlong.
At this stage it looked as if Time To Wyn, heavily backed for the second consecutive time, would recover losses from the last meeting, but once again he found one too good for him.
This time it was the barely considered Wall Street Runner, brought with a perfectly timed run by Richard Hodson, who spoiled Time To Wyn’s party.
In the end the Joan Le Brocq trained filly won with a bit in hand and is clearly very useful when in the right mood.
So, Stephen Arthur increased his lead at the top of the trainers’ table while the top two jockeys, Tony Procter and Adam Jones, scored one apiece.
The next meeting is on Sunday 10 July, an afternoon fixture, and features the Channel Islands Champion Hurdle.
Results of Friday’s races: 6.45: 1, Eljay’s Boy (owned by M J Harvey, trained by Mrs K Harvey and ridden by P Aspell) 11/2.
2, Keep On Running (Keep On Running Racing; Mrs AA Malzard; A Jones) 11/10.
3, Fait Le Jojo (Mrs C Ephgrave; MJ Ephgrave; H Ephgrave) 13/8.
Distances: Half, 4, 12 and 3 lengths.
Tote, win: £10.
Places: £3, £2.60.
Dual forecast: £3.10.
7.15: 1, Crossways (Trevor and Pat Gallienne; Mrs AA Malzard; A Jones) 5/2.
2, Hakam (Miss JV May; Joan Le Brocq; V Slattery) 7/2.
3, Khuzdar (Mrs Y Burnett, H England and The Fourboys Racing Syndicate; Mrs AA Malzard; P Aspell) 4/1.
Dist: One-and-a-half, 1, 6, 10 and 3 lgths.
Tote, win: £10.80.
Places: £7.20, £6.60.
D/F: £19.80.
7.45: 1, Catcando (DM Ahier; JSO Arthur; A Procter) 7/2.
2, Off Minor (MJ Weaver; JSO Arthur; M Stainton) 7/2.
3, Minnie’s Mystery (Tony, Rita, Wayne and Stacey Le Brocq); C McCready; E Semaan) 6/4.
Dist: 1 lgth, a neck, 5, 3 and 14 lgths and a head.
Tote, win: £10.40.
Places: £7, £9.60.
D/F: £22.70.
8.15: 1, Wall Street Runner (Lavender Racing Club; Joan le Brocq; R Hodson) 12/1.
2, Time To Wyn (Westward Racing; Mrs AA Malzard; A Jones) 6/4.
3, Aqua Tiger (JSO Arthur; JSO Arthur; R Studholme) 4/1.
Dist: 1, 5 and 1 lgth, a neck and 12 and 2 lgths.
Tote, win: £21.40.
Places: £6, £3.60, £4.
D/F: £13.50.
8.45: 1, Returnofthefairy (Messrs C Barton, C Gruchy and S Milsom; JSO Arthur; M Stainton) 7/1.
2, Warrior’s Path (Rover Racing; Mrs AA Malzard; R Studholme) 8/1.
3, Twist (Miss JV May; Joan Le Brocq; Natalia Gemelova) 5/1.
Dist: One-and-a-half lgths, short head, three-quarters of a length and 7 lgths.
Tote, win: £14.40.
Places: £3.80, £6 and £4.20.
D/F: £126.20.
