Black Poppy (10-1) powered to victory in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle for the culmination of a long-term plan at Haydock Park.
On the only mixed Jumps and Flat racing card in Britain Kerry Lee's seven-year-old landed victory in the prestigious handicap under Adam Wedge to help connections seal a a fine victory. Black Poppy, who had won three times over hurdles before including last month at Cheltenham, had had the Swinton Hurdle as a key spring target due to his liking for better ground. And the plan came off to perfection. Under Wedge, Black Poppy was sat in the pack off the pace set by Onemorefortheroad and Washington for much of the two-mile contest. Teddy Blue (17-2) took over the lead in the home straight but Black Poppy and Takeiteasy made it virtually three in a row coming over the final flight. It was Black Poppy who stayed on best after and he went on to win by a length-and-a-quarter from Teddy Blue with Takeiteasy two-and-a-half-lengths back in third with Lunar Sovereign (33-1) another two-and-a-quarter-lengths further adrift in fourth.
Trainer Kerry Lee was not at Haydock, instead on a mission to buy more horses for the Herefordshire-based stable. Her father Richard, who she took over the licence from in 2015, her brother Tom and the owners, West Coast Haulage Limited, were at the Merseyside track. Brother Tom, former Channel 4 racing presenter, was delighted to see their plan come to fruition. He said: "You can sum this up in one word: bullseye! That was the prize we wanted and the prize we got. He's a nice horse with the right profile and the right age and, crucially, patient owners.
