13th July 2011

BOB BUCKLER RACING: Mister Matt keeps good run going

By Stuart Broom

MISTER Matt ensured that the bad luck that befell Bob Buckler’s yard 24 hours earlier did not have any lingering effect by winning the bet365 Handicap Chase over two miles at Utoxetter to keep the stables good form running.

Having made such a good start to the season with only one of his 13 previous runners this season having not been placed, stable jockey Nathan Sweeney broke his leg when he was unseated on Ethiopia the night before at Newton Abbot in the same race as Cullahill who was disappointing and found the race one too many in a long hard campaign.
Tiger Breeze then failed to impress in the bet365 Conditional Jockeys' Novices' Hurdle earlier on the same card, but AP McCoy, a more than capable replacement for Sweeney, had no problem in steering Mister Matt the 11/4 second favourite home by three lengths from Wherrimon after the favourite Mr Bond had broken down and pulled up four fences from home.

Always in the mix, the eight-year-old gained his maiden victory after ten top three finishes in his previous 19 races. It looked a race between the top two favourites as they came to the end of the back straight but the favourite broke down on the approach to the fourth last and pulled up on landing, and although Wherrimon put in a concerted effort to catch McCoy’s charge, they extended their lead after the last to win comfortably.

Buckler said: “Both horse and jockey did a very good job. He jumped well and never looked in any real danger of losing, and has received a 5lb penalty from the handicapper for his win.”

Commenting on Tiger Breeze, the trainer added: “He was disappointing.

“He got really worked up down at the start and sweated up and was much too keen. We will give him another race in a handicapper and make a decision from there.”

BOB BUCKLER RACING: Mister Matt keeps good run going

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