Kansas City Star appeared to benefit from a recent schooling session under recording-breakinG 20-time champion Jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy after giving Harry Derham another victory at the scene of his first ever winner when making a successful stable debut at Huntingdon today. 

 

Out of luck in nine starts for Gordon Elliott the Bryan Drew-owned seven-year-old hit the ground running on his first start for Derham, who celebrated the first winner of his career at the Cambridgeshire track on Boxing Day 2022 with Seelotmorebusiness. 

 

Putting in an assured round of jumping, with the exception of a mistake at the last, the 16-5 chance found more than enough up the run in to defeat Aggagio by two and a quarter-lengths in the opening Pertemps Network Novices’ Handicap Chase. 

 

Derham said: “I was saying to Bryan (Drew, owner) that I will always love this track for that one day in 2022 with Seelotmorebusiness. Brentford Hope also won here in the spring as well, but that was my first runner here this season.”

 

On Kansas City Star he added: “We were just schooling a couple of weeks ago in Lambourn and I needed another jockey and AP (McCoy) was about so he schooled him. He jumped him and said it went well and that suited me. 

 

“He had struggled a bit over hurdles, but he is a horse that we thought going chasing would be the thing for him. He jumped well apart from the last. I am very pleased for Bryan and it was good of him to send me the horse.”

 

Karen Jewell kept two of her biggest supporters happy after Galway Mahler left his previous form behind when opening his account under rules at the 10th attempt of asking in the Pertemps Novices’ Handicap Chase.

 

Possessing more letters than numbers next to his name the lightly raced seven-year-old, who is owned by Jewell’s mother, and former trainer, Linda, and Peter Oppenheimer, set the record straight with a six-length success in the hands of Caoilin Quinn. 

 

Jewell said of the 16-1 winner: “It is really nice to train a winner for mum, and for Peter who has been an owner with us as a family for over 20 years. 

 

“Unfortunately, last time out he made a mistake at the first and it was game over for him. I think this sort of trip (extended two miles seven furlongs) and this sort of ground is key to him. 

 

“I probably need to give a shout to Jerry McGrath as he found him for us. We were all scratching our heads as we thought he was going to be a good horse but hopefully he can improve now he has got his head in front.”

 

Connections of Moon Chime could have useful type on their hands after the Graeme McPherson and David Killahena-trained six-year-old, who finished third in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham earlier in the season, secured a three and a half-length success in the Pertemps Network Maiden Hurdle. 

 

David Adams, part owner, said of the successful 10-11 Favourite: “He was just green the last day at Kempton, but there is definitely something there with him. 

 

“We were hopeful coming here today, but there was a big field, and you still need everything to go right. We knew he was well at home and the team have done a fantastic job. 

 

“He has come on for the Kempton run and he was more professional today. There is no firm route for him. We just want to build up his experience.”