Iain Jardine’s versatility proven as Cool Mix wins Bobby Renton Chase in Wetherby opener

It was a significant victory for the dual-purpose Scottish trainer whose finest hour came when Nakeeta won the 2017 Ebor at York.

The Bobby Renton takes its name from the North Yorkshire trainer who saddled Freebooter to win the 1960 Grand National and was run at a frenetic pace.

Yet Cool Mix, patiently ridden by Conor O’Farrell, took it up in the closing stages and saw off the favourite Sky Pirate with Storm Control back in third.

Cracking Find was running a fine race for the Sue Smith team and owner Ann Ellis before parting company with jockey Ryan Mania at the last of 16 fences.

On near-perfect jumping ground, the opening race of Wetherby’s 2020-21 jumps season saw the David Noonan-ridden Historic Heart deny First Impression and champion jockey Brian Hughes in a photo-finish.

Shan Blue was an impressive novice chase winner for brothers Dan and Harry Skelton with trainer Fergal O’Brien disappointed by Champagne Well’s run back in third.

But he was soon compensated by Ask A Honey taking the opening division of the novice hurdle under veteran former Gold Cup-winning jockey Paddy Brennan who continues to rival the aforementioned Hughes for supremacy in this season’s National Hunt title race. The regret, however, was the absence of any paying spectators – further evidence of the Covid pandemic’s impact on sport as it was Wetherby, ironically, which staged the last meeting in March before the country was plunged into lockdown by the Government.

Now the course is predicting a significant six-figure loss this season because there’s little prospect that spectators will be permitted to return to racecourses in the near future.

Meanwhile, new coronavirus guidelines issued by the Government will not necessitate any changes to the British Horseracing Authority’s current protocols for behind-closed-doors racing.

A new three-tier system for England has been unveiled as the Government tries to tackle the rising number of Covid-19 cases, with differing levels of restrictions imposed depending on whether an area is judged to be on medium, high or very high alert.

The first area to be given Tier 3 status, and the most serious restrictions, is the Liverpool City Region. Bookmakers have shut and Aintree hosts its first meetings of the 2020-21 season this month. However, a precedent was set earlier this year when Leicester staged a race meeting safely despite being in the middle of a lockdown zone. BHA’s chief medical adviser, Dr Jerry Hill, said: “Following close consideration of the detail, we can confirm that the new protocols do not affect the existing behind-closed-doors guidelines for British racing. We do, however, urge everyone involved in British racing who is taking part in any racing-related activities to check the restrictions in their local area and follow the relevant Government advice.

“It also goes without saying it remains critical that all of our industry participants follow Government’s and British racing’s coronavirus protocols at all times, whether at work or at home, to ensure that racing can continue behind closed doors.”

Kameko, winner of the 2000 Guineas for trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy, will, as expected, miss this weekend’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Heaving ground at the Berkshire track for the Qipco Champions Day meeting has prompted owner Sheikh Fahad to swerve the meeting he sponsors in favour of the Breeders’ Cup in America.

Sprinter Dakota Gold continued his hot streak when landing the Listed Rous Stakes at Nottingham for trainer Michael Dods and jockey Connor Beasley.

It came five days after the evergreen six-year-old took the Group Three Benbough Stakes at York’s season-ending meeting. Dakota Gold also won the Beverley Bullet in August. There was a stirring local success for Leyburn trainer Jedd O’Keeffe and jockey Joe Colliver with hurdler Mr Scrumpy as they prepare for a Charlie Hall Chase tilt later this month with Sam Spinner.

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James Mitchinson