Majordomo Hospitality Chase
Handicap, Cheltenham 14:10
£45,000 added,
4yo plus,
3m 1½f, Grade 3  
Friday 12th December 2014

QuinnBet

1 Benbane Head 16/1
2 The Ould Lad 4/1F
3 Cowards Close 9/2
10 ran Distances: 9l, 2¼l, 2¼l
TIME 6m 47.10s

Benbane Head toughs it out tin the Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase to turn over 4-1 favourite The Ould Lad

Benbane Head
© Grossick Racing Photography

Benbane Head

Local trainer Martin Keighley's charge gained compensation for his last start seven days ago, when Richard Johnson took the wrong course, incurring a 12-day ban in the process.

At the head of affairs throughout under Conor Shoemark, the result was never really in much doubt as the 16-1 shot beat 4-1 favourite The Ould Lad by nine lengths.

Keighley said: "He stays so well that I thought four miles at Exeter was perfect for him, but he wouldn't have run in this if he'd finished last week.

"I'm not sure what's been wrong with the horses, all the tests have been clean, but they've been running below our expectations. It's great for the owner that he's won another race and I hope this signals a return to better things."

Majordomo Hospitality Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
£45,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 1f 110y, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Soft

Pos Dist Horse / Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st Benbane Head (USA) 16/1
Conor Shoemark (3)
10-0 M Keighley 10
2nd 9 The Ould Lad (IRE) (ex5) 4/1f
P J Brennan
10-0 T R George 6
3rd Cowards Close (IRE) 9/2
S Twiston-Davies
10-0 P F Nicholls 7
4th Charingworth (IRE) 7/1
Mr H A A Bannister (5)
10-7 K C Bailey 11
5th 4 Pigeon Island 16/1
Sean Bowen (7)
10-0 N A Twiston-Davies 11
6th 17 Hadrian's Approach (IRE) 6/1
B J Geraghty
11-12 N J Henderson 7
7th 19 Lamb Or Cod (IRE) 10/1
R Johnson
11-0 P J Hobbs 7
8th 7 Samstown 8/1
B Hughes
10-9 A C Whillans 7
PU Shattered Dream (IRE) 16/1
Aidan Coleman
10-0 Miss V Williams 6
F Standing Ovation (IRE) 11/1
T Scudamore
10-4 D Pipe 7