Heavy rain in the south east meant Sandown's first jumps meeting of the season was cut short after three races but it didn't prevent Paul Nicholls from sending out another couple of winners.
La Malmason, featured on page 172 of One Jump Ahead, made a winning start to her career when taking the two and a half miles mares' maiden hurdle at Cork. A beautifully bred daughter of Walk In The Park, Gavin Cromwell's filly is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Stage Star and she had reportedly been working well. Available at double figure prices on Saturday evening, she was the subject of strong support on the day and always looked like justifying it. Her jumping was first class throughout and Keith Donoghue's mount travelled strongly before leading three out. Pushed out, she was value for more than the winning margin of three parts of a length. She looks a classy filly. The Unraced Bumper Horses section has had three individual runners - two have won and the other was beaten a neck at 20/1.
Later on the same card, El Barra (7/4) won the Grade 3 novice chase for Rich and Susannah Ricci. The eight year old, who was placed in the Galway Plate, had lost his rider early on in the Kerry National at Listowel last time and overcame a bad mistake at the second last here. Pushed out to win by half a length, I text Rich afterwards and he is keen to enter the gelding in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse next month.
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