Will Kennedy savours milestone victory at Catterick

Having moved past his previous top tally of 47 at Bangor on Friday, Kennedy’s new personal best was posted as Raise A Spark completed a double on the day for the rider and winning trainer Donald McCain when obliging by a length in the two-mile event.

The Cholmondeley handler said: “That was Will’s first 50. He is a very hard worker and is always in the right places when riding them.

“He is very enthusiastic and good with the owners. It has been very positive this season and hopefully it will keep going.”

Of the 9-2 winner, McCain added: “That is what he wants, two miles on that sort of ground.

“He went up quite a bit for his win at Bangor then he ran well at Haydock and went up again.

“He was slightly down in grade (yesterday), but he deserved that. He has his own ideas, but he is tough when he gets to the races.

“We might just take our chance in a better race off a light weight with him next.”

Same Circus (8-15) earned a potential step up to Listed company when getting the ball rolling for Kennedy and McCain in the Racing To School Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

After finding one too good on her last three starts, the six-year-old ground her rivals into submission to take the three-mile one-furlong contest by 13 lengths.

McCain said: “We were not quite sure about the ground as it was the slowest ground she had run on. She is tough and stays very well. She had deserved to win another one as she had been knocking at the door.

“I think last time the other horse (Impulsive Star) pulled up a bit in front and that’s why she finished so close, but she was against geldings then and ran a solid race.

“In about three weeks there is a Listed mares’ novice hurdle at Doncaster, so we might just take a punt at that as she has run well there before.”

Tom Gretton celebrated a rare winner at the course where he scored his first victory as a trainer after Kauto Riko (15-8) claimed the Dine And View At Catterick Races Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old added to his Market Rasen success on Boxing Day with a six-length verdict to initiate a double on the day for winning jockey Brian Hughes.

Gretton said: “I wasn’t sure he would handle the ground, but he was fit and ready to go. We said if he didn’t win over hurdles first time out this year, he would go chasing.

“We will keep him over hurdles now and he will go chasing next year. He improved from Market Rasen and he will improve again.

“He ran some solid races in novice hurdles last year, but he has just needed more time. He won’t be turned out quickly as he is quite fragile.”

The Tim Easterby-trained Milly Baloo (7-2) completed Hughes’s brace when profiting from the late fall of likely winner Powerful Symbol in the three-mile-one handicap chase while I Just Know (13-8) from the yard of Sue Smith took the feature Weatherbys Hamilton Handicap Chase by six lengths.

Brecon Hill (17-2) made a winning debut with a length-and-a-quarter success in the concluding bumper for Alan Swinbank.

Bishops Road remains on course to register back-to-back wins in the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

The Kerry Lee-trained nine-year-old features among 24 entries, including stablemate Goodtoknow, for the Grade Three contest.

Rigadin de Beauchene, who claimed the marathon contest in 2015, is one of four potential runners for trainer Venetia Williams who has also left in Houblon Des Obeaux, Emperor’s Choice and Katenko.

Becher Chase winner and leading ante-post contender for the Aintree marathon Vieux Lion Rouge is one of two entries alongside Doctor Harper for trainer David Pipe.

The weights are headed by Sausalito Sunrise from the yard of Philip Hobbs, who is also responsible for the entry of Kruzhlinin.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, seeking a second win in the race, is another double handed, with Vicente and Virak.

Cue Card will face a maximum of six rivals when bidding for a second victory in Saturday’s Betfair Ascot Chase.

Colin Tizzard’s 11-year-old claimed this Grade One prize in 2013 on his way to landing the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

The popular veteran was a brilliant winner of his third Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, but proved no match for stable companion Thistlecrack when bidding for back-to-back victories in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Cue Card is set to come back in trip for this weekend’s two-mile five-furlong Grade One feature before a potential second tilt at Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.