SALACRES PIPPY saved the best for last when making all in the final of the Stadium Bookmakers Hunt Cup at Towcester on Sunday to land Peter Harnden, the GBGB’s trainer representative, a first Category One title.

The September 2018 daughter of Definate Opinion and Pippy, who is owned and trained by Harnden, came away well and always held the inside line to lead into the first bend and hold her rivals at bay, drawing away as the race unfolded to win by four lengths in a new track record of 42.90sec (+15) for the 712m distance.

The three-year-old, who had finished second in both heat and semi-final, finished in front of the staying Aayamza Dream (Mark Wallis) and Night Time Danny (Stephen Rayner) – justifying the huge faith Harnden has in his 2020 St Leger runner-up.

Victory in the £12,500 feature provided the now Towcester-based handler with his biggest and most memorable day’s racing as a trainer and he admitted to nerves beforehand. “I was buzzing all day and it was definitely the most nervous I’ve been,” he said.

“But this is the best feeling in 24 years of trying to land a big race,” added Harnden. “We’ve gone close before – Pippy herself in the Leger – but this is something special. She’s the apple of my eye and buying her was the best thing I’ve done.

“I said to Mark (Pierrepont, assistant) during lockdown that if we didn’t go for it during lockdown then we’d never do it. I wanted something special – and Pippy was that. We did the deal after some to-ing and fro-ing and she’s just proved different gear.

“She’d been cramping in the heats and semis, so I knew she’d have a major chance if we could sort that. So I spoke to Liam (Dowling) and he gave some great advice, educated me if you like. Him staying here at the kennels during the Derby makes him the perfect go-to man!”

Harnden praised Towcester promoter Kevin Boothby for introducing new Category One events to the GBGB Calendar – and reviving former major races.

“The Hunt Cup is a famous competition, as is the Sovereign Stakes, and that just shows what Kevin is about. He understands the sport’s history and knows what owners and trainers want. We moved to Towcester for that reason, to win a Cat One, and we’ve done it and I can’t thank Kevin and his team enough.”

Boothby himself congratulated Harnden after Salacres Pippy’s success and revealed to RPGTV that his plans for Oxford and Suffolk Downs continue apace.

“I think we’ll be trialling at Suffolk Downs later this month for a December start,” he said. “Oxford was always going to be four or five weeks behind that project, so we’re looking at January for kicking off things there. Exciting times but very busy times – bookings here at Towcester for Xmas are very good and that’s encouraging!”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=379300&raceId=790354