Racing: 'Legless' Jodami trails in third

REPUTATIONS were jolted, chasing's pecking order shifted and the jockey Mark Dwyer got it wrong yesterday. While Dwyer's mount, Jodami, beaten in the Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow, remains an uneasy favourite for the 1994 Gold Cup, the championship challenger Cab On Target has disappeared from the betting after a disappointing display here.

His place in the bookmakers' lists has been taken by Barton Bank, who confirmed October Wetherby form with his rival. And Sybillin, one of last season's best novices - who Dwyer got off in order to ride Jodami - went top of the senior two-mile rankings by landing the Tingle Creek Chase.

Jodami will stay at Chepstow for tests - including one for dope - after trailing in third behind Party Politics and Riverside Boy (an animal rated 41lb worse than him by the Handicapper, but getting only 21lb yesterday).

It appeared a bad mistake at the third last put paid to the Gold Cup winner but his trainer, Peter Beaumont, reported his star 'legless and distressed' after the shock defeat.

Beaumont was puzzled as the horse's blood test on Thursday, was perfect. He said: 'He wouldn't have made that mistake normally - he was so tired. I cannot understand it, but there is a lot of virus trouble around the country and perhaps that is the problem. Hopefully I'll know more tomorrow.'

The stewards immediately ordered a dope test on the gelding. Their spokesman, Christopher Lee, said: 'We have also asked to be informed of other tests taken on him. I don't know when we will have the answers.'

The match between Barton Bank and Cab on Target in the Ewell Chase at Sandown effectively became a one-horse contest after a couple of fences. Cab on Target jumped awkwardly, like a horse who was hurting somewhere, and his trainer, Mary Reveley, fears he aggravated an old back injury when he left his hind legs behind and bellied the second.

By contrast, Barton Bank attacked his fences and, though he made errors as his jumping grew longer, his trainer David Nicholson was delighted with the performance. He now tackles the King George VI Chase at Kempton on 27 December.

Adrian Maguire was jockey-of-the-day, doubling up on Super Coin before completing a hat-trick on Nicholson's smart novice chaser Baydon Star.

Sybillin, making his first appearance since finishing a disappointing third in the prestigious Arkle Chase at Cheltenham in March, turned in a stylish performance in the Tingle Creek. Sybillin joined Deep Sensation in the lead two out and went clear of that frequent frustrator up the hill.

The William Hill Handicap Hurdle went to the John Webber-trained Land Afar, ridden by the 22-year-old Warren Marston, Maguire's understudy at Nicholson's yard. The favourite, Leotard, finished last.

Shawiya was only third on her reappearance at Punchestown yesterday.