Favourite shocked by Schumpters Lad in Warwick feature

Just four had stood their ground from the original 11 entries for the day’s main event, the Commscope And Anixter Business Partners Novices’ Chase over two miles.

After the classy Somersby had taken the race in 2009 en route to running second to Sizing Europe at the Cheltenham Festival, last year’s winner Darby’s Turn proved to be a disappointment, failing to score again in four subsequent races.

It remains to be seen whether Schumpters Lad will go on to better things, but there seemed no fluke about his win over 30-100 favourite Tatispout, who led into the home straight but had no answer to the winner after being headed two fences from home.

Dormouse, who had scored over the course in February, followed up in the opening Whitson Bloodstock Ltd Handicap Hurdle, coming home at 20-1.

Conor O’Farrell had kicked clear on 6-4 favourite Shallow Bay after the third last, but he looked to be coming to the end of his tether when making a mistake at the final flight and handing the initiative to Dormouse.

The photograph of winning connections will certainly be one for the family album as Dormouse is owned by Aiden Murphy, who sponsored the race, trained by his wife Anabel at Wilmcote and was ridden to victory by their son Olly.

Alamaan became the second beaten favourite when going down to Coach Lane in the Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Handicap Chase.

Nick Mitchell’s charge had not visited the winners’ enclosure since May 2010, but he showed some of his old form when finishing third at Exeter last time out and ran on well here in the hands of Andrew Thornton to prevail by half a length.

Six of the eight runners in the Countryside Alliance Juvenile Hurdle had run over hurdles before and it was Saqil who put that experience to good use in beating newcomer Captain Louis.

This was the 16th winner of the season for jockey Richard Killoran, who lost the right to claim a riding allowance when scoring a double at Plumpton on Monday.

Thornton completed a riding double when taking the Robert Holloway 75th Birthday Bash Novices’ Hurdle on 7-4 favourite Shammy Buskins, who had been well backed in the morning.

The finale was the George Mernagh Memorial Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, sponsored by Tatterstalls Ireland, and with a guaranteed prize fund of £5,000, it was worth more than the average for this type of race.

Nicky Henderson usually does well in these events, although he missed the target last year when the fancied Whoops A Daisy could only finish second.

With two runners this time, Henderson meant business and he duly scored with 13-8 favourite Brave Alliance, who proved too good for Lulu’s Gift and stable companion Miss Ballantyne.