Nicky Henderson's girl power took centre stage at Wincanton yesterday afternoon when the Lambourn trainer completed a double with flying mares Melody Maid and Oh Donna.
"I love the girls - who needs geldings!" was how Henderson summed up the brace after Melody Maid's easy verdict in the £17,500 Premiere National Hunt Auction Novices Hurdle proved music to the trainer's ears.
Mick Fitzgerald sent the daughter of Strong Gale to the front four from home and the pair were quickly showing their toiling rivals a clean pair of heels, passing the post with 15 lengths to spare. "If it was firm we would have to think about the Sun Alliance Hurdle at Cheltenham," Henderson said.
Oh Donna initiated a double for Henderson and Fitzgerald when staying on much too strongly for Oi Mother in the closing stages of the Hoechst Roussel Panacur EBF Mares' NH Novices Hurdle Qualifier.
Jenny Pitman's Jibber the Kibber survived an alarming blunder at the third fence of the Racing in Wessex Chase to win his first race of two years under the steering of Denis Leahy.
And Leahy earned high praise from Mrs Pitman who said: "Denis does a lot for us with the horses at home and he can tell you straight away what they need. What he has is not made, it's a gift, but the problem is he just does not realise it."
