Racing: Maguire is upstaged by Flagship

Viking Flagship got the better of old partner Adrian Maguire at Exeter yesterday. The 10-year-old won the Haldon Gold Cup Chase in the hands of Richard Johnson, beating by five lengths Maguire's mount Mulligan, the better fancied of the two stablemates.

David Nicholson, who trains both, said later: "Adrian did not pick to ride Mulligan - I told him to. I wanted him on Mulligan as it was important to get him jumping as he'd been on the floor on his final two runs last year."