Castafiore lands the spoils for Longsdon at Doncaster

The four-year-old won Saturday’s Bet365.com Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Paul O’Brien.

The Hull Farm handler said: “I thought she should have been well handicapped off 116 as her form had tailed off last season after she won a fillies’ juvenile hurdle at Ludlow, where she beat subsequent three-time winner Deauville Crystal by six lengths.

“However she has been fairly disappointing up against the older horses this season so it was terrific for her to get her head in front. The cheek-pieces obviously helped her and Paul [O’Brien] gave her a galvanising ride.

“Hopefully now she has got everything together, she will continue the form.”