SEDGEFIELD specialist Teme Valley made it win number eleven at the course yesterday with an easy victory in the Coors Brewery Claiming Hurdle.

Owned and trained by Howard Johnson, Teme Valley coasted home seven lengths clear in the hands of Grand National winning jockey, Graham Lee, but there was a sting in the tail for connections as the eleven-year-old ended up being claimed for £5,000 by Johnson's neighbour, Brancepeth-based Richard Guest.

Johnson, who splashed out 360,000 euros for a yearling at Goffs Sale in Ireland this week, was not on duty, leaving his father-in-law, Ray Hawkey, to do the honours.

"Teme Valley has been remarkable as he's never had a day off for injury in his life," he said. "Graham Lee said as soon as he saw the stands, that was it - he was off and never going to be beaten."

There was a dramatic start to the meeting when first-past-the-post in the Gosforth Decorating Services Handicap Hurdle, Rathlin Island, was disqualified and placed last after his jockey returned with an incorrect weight.

The clerk of the scales objected to the result when rider Paddy Aspell weighed-in with significantly less than he started out. It transpired Aspell had lost the weight cloth after the tack slipped in the race, which inevitably meant the original second, Fortune's Fool, was awarded the spoils.

No blame was apportioned to Aspell, who explained the weight cloth had shot out the back of the saddle at the top of the hill on the final circuit, but it was a cruel reverse for Paddy and rookie trainer, Vicky Scott.

The husband and wife combination of Harvey and Sue Smith maintained their magnificent record at the track when 9-2 shot, Bushido, upset the red-hot 8-13 favourite, Possextown, in the Castlemaine Novices Chase.

"He's flat bred and has got some foot in a finish," said Harvey shortly after Bushido had outsprinted his main market rival on the dash to the line.

Thanks to known trail-blazers Supply And Fix, plus Spring Breeze, the field went a tremendous lick for easily the best contest on the card, the Camerons Strongarm Novices Hurdle.

As the two leaders battled it out up front the eventual winner, Snow's Ride, waited in mid-division prior to pouncing at the second last flight.

He then shrugged off a late challenge by George Stubbs to provide Graham Lee with a short-priced double.

Once headed, hurdles newcomer Spring Breeze battled on gamely to take third spot and should be winning over timber soon, while Snow's Ride might even step up in distance.

"He's doing it well and enjoying the job, we might even put him back up to two-and-a-half-miles," explained Middleham's Micky Hammond, responsible for the versatile grey.

There was a timely tonic for Sharon Watt, currently recovering at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital following two operations, when Now Then Sid powered away with the Black Sheep Brewery Handicap Chase.

The Richmond handler's husband, Bill, revealed that Sharon had been listening on the telephone and would soon nag ward staff to let her out so that she could get back to business in the stables.

Tony McCoy, beaten on both the well-fancied Dalida and Oldenway during the afternoon, made amends when he steered Mr Mischief to a cosy triumph in the closing Weatherbys Handicap Hurdle.

McCoy always looked confident aboard Patrick Haslam's useful gelding.

He was a comfortable scorer, despite having to shoulder top-weight in the near two-and-three-quarter-mile contest

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