GRAHAM LEE and Howard Johnson kept up their remarkable strike-rate at Sedgefield by notching yet another double at the course yesterday.

Win number one came via the 4-11 favourite, Sabreflight, whose backers must have feared the worst as Johnson's chestnut looked in desperate straits three furlongs from the finish of the Mares Only Novices Hurdle

But Lee vigorously stoked along his mount to stave off the persistent challenge of eventual runner-up, Ornella Speed.

"The second is no mug so that wasn't a bad performance. Sabreflight has won her last two and she'll make a lovely mare for breeding one day," reported the winning trainer's assistant, Ray Hawkey.

Lee didn't have to work half as hard aboard Sabreflight's stable-mate, San Peire, who notched a fourth track and trip success when brushing aside Letitia's Loss to claim the Weatherbys Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

Even though the distance was nearly three-and-a-half-miles, San Peire returned as fresh as paint, putting in a mighty leap at the last to stamp his authority on the race.

"He's tough and loves it here. Having said that, whenever I fancy him he never wins," remarked Hawkey.

He was also full of praise for Lee's outstanding efforts in the saddle.

Not for the first time Ferdy Murphy's followers left the track with cash to spare courtesy of Canavan, triumphant in the Camerons Brewery Maiden Chase.

Carrying the colours of owner John Duddy, made famous by the exploits of near top-class sprinter Halmahera and last year's top two-year-old, Amadeus Wolf, Canavan bounded to the front with two fences to jump and was never headed thereafter.

"He's got no overdrive, but he keeps at the job and could have gone round again," said Ferdy.

Canavan's quite well handicapped and I would think there'll be a long distance contest for him at Hexham over the next few weeks."

Kenny Johnson had Moyne Pleasure anchored well in rear for the initial stages of the John Wade Selling Handicap Hurdle

Sometimes such exaggerated waiting tactics make fools of jockeys, however in this case Kenny judged it to perfection as the leaders fell in a heap, allowing Moyne Pleasure to swoop into an unassailable lead approaching the final flight.

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