Double delight for Jane Williams at Newbury

Jane Williams enjoyed a profitable afternoon at Newbury on Wednesday, with Javert Allen and Saint Segal both impressing in the jumping department to provide the trainer with a double.

Having made a successful start to his career over fences at Chepstow in early November, the enthusiastic Javert Allen was a 9-5 shot to follow up in the Hooorrrrraaayyy It’s Christmas Queens Arms Handicap Chase and produced some bold leaps from the front to keep the pressure on the chasing pack.

Harper’s Brook loomed up looking a big threat between the final two fences, but not for the first time he found little for pressure, whereas Javert Allen kept up the gallop under Ciaran Gethings to score by two and a quarter lengths.

“You’re a novice taking on handicappers and had to go out and make the running, so of course you’re nervous, but I think the jumping was much more measured today than it was at Chepstow and he seemed more settled and happier. It was altogether a more attractive round of jumping,” said Williams.

“I’m very pleased with that. We don’t do any race planning on raceday, we’ll just enjoy the day.”

The Devon-based trainer was soon on the mark again, with Saint Segal also dominating from the front in the following BetVictor Home Of The Lucky Dip Handicap Chase.

The 2-1 chance had not managed to get his head in front since January 2023, but showed his true colours with an 11-length success under Jonathan Burke, who was completing a treble on the card following the earlier wins of Alan King’s Believitanducan (11-2) in the juvenile hurdle and the Emma Lavelle-trained King Califet (11-2) in the maiden hurdle.

Of Saint Segal, Williams added: “He’s always been talented and luck just hasn’t been with him.

“In his last race here I expected him to win or go jolly close and we ended up getting bumped at the start, but today was his day, so that was good.

“My bumper horse ran well too (finished fourth), I’m thrilled with her, so it’s been a nice day – occasionally something has to go right!”

In the Visit Warren Greatrex Racing At Rhonehurst EBF Stallions “NH” Novices’ Hurdle, the Paul Nicholls-trained Captain Bellamy (7-2) dug deep to pass the post in front under Lorcan Williams.

However, there may well be a sting in the tail for his connections, with Williams appearing to use his whip in excess of the permitted level of seven. Should that be found to be the case, it could lead to Captain Bellamy being disqualified by the Whip Review Committee.

A frustrated Nicholls told the Racing Post he expected Captain Bellamy to lose the race: “Rules are rules and I can’t do anything about that. I counted 11 straight away. Seven is seven and you hit one 11 times, what do you expect? I don’t have a lot of sympathy, whether you like the rules or don’t you have to abide by them.”

Elsewhere on the card, Herakles Westwood continued the good recent run of Warren Greatrex by justifying 5-2 favouritism in the JM Finn Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase under James Bowen.