‘He'll be out partying with us tonight'

The quirky Cloudy Glen carries the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings to victory, while there’s a deadheat at Newcastle

- MARCUS ARMYTAGE

CLOUDY GLEN, under an inspired ride from Charlie Deutsch, carried the late Trevor Hemmings’ famous silks to an emotional victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy when he just hung on by a half a length from the staying-on Fiddlerontheroof.

It is amazing how often big race results in racing seem to be written in the stars, and two days after the memorial service for Hemmings, one of jumping’s great patrons over the last three decades who died in October, it seemed almost pre-ordained that his two runners, Cloudy Glen and last year’s winner Cloth Cap, should lead the field into the home straight.

But, having tried to make all like he had 12 months earlier, a combination of extra weight and softer ground began to take its toll on Cloth Cap from the fourth-last where Deutsch, who had been contesting the lead for a long way, went on. At the same fence Cloudy Glen’s most obvious rival Remastered, who was trying to go with him, fell, causing Fiddlerontheroof to sidestep him and lose a little momentum.

He was catching the winner all the way to the line but the post came in time for the Venetia Williams-trained eight-year-old who, like a lot of Hemmings’ horses (most notably Many Clouds, who won this race and the National) is by Cloudings.

He had a starting price of 33/1 but he has run well first time out in the past and a wind operation and new tactics appear to have turned him round.

“Trevor was definitely up there looking down,” said Williams. “He was just lovely as an owner with the wickedest sense of humor.