Midnight feast for Crambeck jockey Dougie Costello (From Gazette & Herald)

Midnight feast for Crambeck jockey Dougie Costello

3:35pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Sport

CRAMBECK-based jump jockey Dougie Costello has been associated for some years with Devon trainer Neil Mulholland and particularly with his top-class staying steeplechaser Midnight Chase, writes Alec Russell.

This 10-year-old seems to have a particular liking for the stiff right-handed Cheltenham Racecourse and when all these disparate pieces fall into place the result is usually a performance of the highest calibre.

Eight appearances at the Gloucestershire track have resulted in five wins, one second and one third for Midnight Chase and each time Costello has been in the saddle. The latest success came on Saturday in the £100,000-added Argento Chase.

Midnight Chase is a horse that loves to dominate in his races and Costello sent him into the lead in this three-and-a-quarter-mile contest and there he remained.

Late competition came from Ruby Walsh and Tidal Bay but Midnight Chase held off the challenge and went on to win by two and three-quarter lengths.

The only time that Midnight Chase has failed to get into the first three at Cheltenham was when he was fifth in last year’s Gold Cup and that was the only occasion that Dougie Costello was not partnering him on that course.

He was recovering from injury and Tom Scudamore was in the saddle. I am certain that Dougie will be hoping he has the opportunity to ride this front runner and take on Kauto Star and Long Run in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

• DONCASTER provided some really excellent jumping fare last Saturday with the Skybet Chase the principal feature. Despite the attractions of Cheltenham, jockeys Barry Geraghty, Timmy Murphy, Tony McCoy and trainer Nicky Henderson made the journey north to the Yorkshire track.

Geraghty had an unsuccessful afternoon – after finishing second in a very competitive hurdle race on the Brian Ellison-trained Bocciani he filled the same position in the main contest on the delightfully named Shakalakaboomboom, who was beaten two and a half lengths by Calgary Bay, from Henrietta Knight’s Wantage yard.

Norton trainer Malcolm Jefferson’s hopes of repeating his splendid Haydock Park win of the previous Saturday were dashed by a very moderate display of jumping from Cape Tribulation in this contest.

McCoy was back in the winners enclosure for the first time since his fall in late December, which resulted in broken ribs, when he scored on the Nicky Henderson-trained Kid Cassidy in the two-mile novices’ chase.

This win was McCoy’s 175th of the season and, despite missing most of January, he is still 60 ahead of his nearest rival, Richard Johnson, for the jockeys championship, in which he has been triumphant for the past sixteen years, amassing well over 3,000 victories. A truly amazing record and one that will never be matched.

• ANOTHER horse with an intriguing name is the Brian Ellison trained Dontpaytheferryman.

Still only a seven-year-old, he has had a remarkable career, starting at the Tipperary stable of Tommy Stack before crossing the Irish Sea to two trainers in Wales, Evan Williams and then David Evans. He then moved up to North Yorkshire to be trained firstly by Alan Dickman, then Richard Fahey, before arriving at Ellison’s Norton yard.

During this period he has run 56 times, registering 13 wins – 10 of these for his present trainer – and he seems to have developed a particular liking for the Scottish seaside air at Musselburgh. He gained his third win on the track last week and this was his second success there in January.

Richard Fahey may not have had any success with Dontpaytheferryman but he looks to be getting in shape for the forthcoming Flat season with a double at Wolverhampton on Monday. Valley Tiger at 14-1 and Availed Speaker at 5-1 provided an 89-1 double for the Musley Bank trainer and champion jockey Paul Hanagan.

• SATURDAY’S Wetherby meeting will feature the totepool.com Towton Novices’ Chase. Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson has two entries but Norton’s Malcolm Jefferson also has the choice of The Panama Kid and MacAeda, who won over the track at Christmas. An exciting contest is promised, weather permitting.