Dorking Cock a second winner on card for Crawford

Stuart Crawford doubled up at Down Royal when Dorking Cock served up a 22/1 surprise in the hunters chase.

The seven-year-old Winged Love gelding was tough in the closing stages as he kept on well to oblige by two and three quarter lengths under Stephen Connor. Er Dancer finished second at 10/1 and was three and three quarter lengths ahead of Vaucelet (11/10f).

Crawford said: "The other horse, Poli Roi would have been our more fancied horse but the ground went against him. He's a horse for better ground. I thought he was coming with a chance but to be fair to this horse he was up there and probably always kept pulling out a bit more.

"He had a very, very good run here on St Patrick's Day in the 3m2f chase and finished second there. He has been a bit overlooked to be honest coming into that race.

"We only got the one point-to-point run around Loughbrickland in the autumn and hopefully we will keep him hunter chasing.

"I'd say that was a proper hunters chase and that's not a bad horse. He was bought to do that and with Covid I didn't get to run him in any point-to-points.

"He's still only learning and I'm finding out about him even though I probably have him a year and a half."