A total of 40 years after saddling his first Towcester winner, trainer Michael Chapman returned to his old county haunts to post a memorable 25/1 success.
The Mariners might have been sunk by Newport just 24 hours earlier in the Football Conference play-offs leaving the 75 year-old Grimsby Town director just a little deflated, but his 10-year-old Peak Seasons soon adjusted the balance in the 2m handicap chase.
Ridden by 10lbs claiming jockey Gerard Galligan who twice lost his irons during the contest, Peak Seasons still rallied gamely to lead at the second last fence to score by seven lengths from Richo.
Chapman trained at Clipston in Northants from the early 1970s into December 1, 1987 and recalled: “That was the day we moved all of our horses and staff up to Market Rasen where a horse called Terryash won for us on that day before he had seen his new stables.”
Continuing the nostalgic thread he added: “My first winner at Towcester was a horse called Rutland who I bought out of the Newmarket Sales and who was my first winner here. I am here on my own today with Peak Seasons even though I told the owner he would win. However, I believe he has had £100 each way.”
Towcester’s last afternoon fixture of the 2012/13 season was lit up by a double for trainer Henry Daly who followed his Saturday success in the betfred 365 Chase at Sandown with Quentin Collonges by saddling a double courtesy of Sure Thing (16/1) in the opening 2m 5f handicap hurdle and Wild Card (13/2) in the 2m PSP Association Novices; Hurdle.
Both of the scorers were ridden by Richard Johnson with the front running Sure Thing rallying to good effect to defy Bob Lewis after briefly being headed at the last flight in the 16-runner contest, while Wild Card scored by a neck from the odds-on favourite Twelve Roses.
Regular Towcester supporter Linda Pestell was on hand with her daughters to make the presentation after the Remember Colin And Smile Handicap Chase over 3m, a race named after her late husband.
A ding-dong battle to the line went the way of the Caroline Keevil-trained Time Do which despite some slovenly jumping at times, responded to the coaxing of Ian Popham to score a one and three-quarter length success from D’Gigi.
Seven pound claiming jockeys Thomas Garner and Joe Akehurst made the most of rare opportunities at Towcester to post victories on board Majorca King (6/1) and Jameel (100/30 fav) in the 2m maiden chase and the 2m handicap hurdle respectively.
The eight race card ended with the bumper being split into two divisions which appropriately enough went to a pair of 8/1 shots in the form of Celestial Island for Melton Mowbray trainer John Gallagher and Fergal O’Brien, who saddled his home bred Kayf Tara filly The Govaness. These were ridden by Peter Carberry and Paddy Brennan respectively.