Racing: Baracouda tightens grip on stayers' title

Baracouda cemented his reputation as the leading staying hurdler in Europe when winning Ascot's Long Walk Hurdle for the second consecutive year yesterday. François Doumen's six-year-old also defended his unbeaten record in Britain and extended his winning sequence to seven when breezing home at odds of 2-5. Coral were impressed and go 4-6 from evens for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

"He's a wonderful horse," Doumen said. "He will have a break in January and come back somewhere in February.

"I think he might prefer soft ground, but good ground does not stop him. He's a good-actioned horse."

Doumen completed a double, both horses ridden by his son, Thierry, when Never became the 50th winner owned by Sir Peter O'Sullevan in the Grade Two Gerrard Novices' Hurdle. "He jumped like a pussycat and he might have to go to Cheltenham," O'Sullevan said.

Emma Lavelle saddled her biggest winner when the progressive Odagh Odyssey took the £25,000 PML Handicap Chase in determined style.