Sing For Peace wins Crisp in thriller

The Patrick Payne-trained Sing For Peace (NZ) (Tavistock) stamped himself as a star of jumps racing with a determined victory in Sunday’s Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown Lakeside.

Sing For Peace was considered the main danger to the champion Stern Idol, who was chasing his fourth consecutive Crisp Steeplechase success at his final start.

At their most recent clash, in the Australian Steeplechase (3900m) at Sandown Lakeside on May 31, Sing For Peace was dominant, scoring by 10 lengths, with Stern Idol third, under 76.5 kg, 12.5 lengths behind the winner.

Stern Idol was sent out a warm favourite on Sunday, with the significant weight swing (9.5kg) an obvious factor.

It wasn’t the fairytale finish for the Ciaron Maher-trained Stern Idol, however, who tired late after leading for much of the trip.

Sing For Peace, meanwhile, was strong at the end of the contest, and jockey Tom Ryan had to pull out all the stops to see off the challenge of the late closer Mr Lincoln.

“I think jumps racing was the winner there. It was a fantastic race,” stable representative Neil Greaves said.

“I think it’s a perfect time to salute the great Stern Idol. He didn’t win today, but he’s been a great jumper the last four years.

“The scene is changing a bit and we’re lucky enough to have some of the better ones at the moment.

“It’s a great thrill to win that race, we were only hopeful at the start of the day.

“It was a great ride from Tommy Ryan and a great training effort from Patrick Payne.”

Sing For Peace’s win handed Payne a jumps double, after Split (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), who survived a float accident earlier in the year, took out the Tom McGinley Hurdle (3400m) under Will Gordon.

And for Ryan, it was a feature race double, with the likeable Irishman getting the job done on Andy Win (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m).

“I thought we had thrown it away at the top of the hill, he made a really bad mistake and I don’t know how he stood up, to be honest,” Ryan explained.

“I had to give him every chance. I thought the bird had flown, as in Stern Idol down the hill. I was really outpaced down the hill, but he battled all the way to the line and he made a really good jump at the last.

“I didn’t think we had held on, but luckily enough we did.”