Decoy Daddy rallies late for Radnor Hunt win

Apparently beaten down the stretch run, Irv Naylor's Decoy Daddy made a clutch late move that carried him to a head victory over Gustavian in the $50,000 National Hunt Cup on Saturday at the 83d annual Radnor Hunt Races in Malvern.

Similarly, Rainbows for Luck came back from a nearly seven-month absence to win the $40,000 Radnor Hunt Cup over timber fences by a nose.

Trained by Brianne Slater, multiple stakes winner Decoy Daddy took the lead after the first two fences in the 23/8-mile National Hunt Cup and was jumping well for jockey Carol-Ann Sloan. Sloan had previously ridden Decoy Daddy to victory in the Temple Gwathmey four weeks earlier at the Middleburg Spring Races in Virginia.

But the 11-year-old Irish-bred met the second-to-last fence awkwardly and landed nearly sideways as Hickory Tree Stables' Gustavian made his move from behind the leader.

Gustavian and jockey Paddy Young jumped to the lead over the last fence. But Sloan got Decoy Daddy to surge to the front in the final strides.

The Results

$25,000 Milfern Cup Sport of Kings maiden hurdle, 23/8 miles over national fences.

1. No. 10, Dr. Skip (jockey: Jody Petty); 2. No. 5, West Is Best (Jeff Murphy); 3. No. 6, Foolish Surprise (Benjamin Swope).

$30,000 Thompson Memorial allowance hurdle, 23/8 miles over national fences.

1. No. 7, Martini Brother (Darren Nagle); 2. No. 5, Absolum (Paddy Young); 3. No. 6, Bodie Island (Robbie Walsh).

$40,000 Radnor Hunt Cup, 31/4 miles over timber.

1. No. 3, Rainbows for Luck (Jody Petty); 2. No. 10, Hot Rize (Jeff Murphy); 3. No. 5, Straight to It (Sean Flanagan).

$50,000 National Hunt Cup (Gr. 3), 23/8 miles over national fences.

1. No. 4, Decoy Daddy (Carol-Ann Sloan); 2. No. 8, Gustavian (Paddy Young); 3. No. 1, Country Cousin (Roddy Mackenzie).

$15,000 James M. Moran Jr. claiming hurdle, 2 3/8 miles over national fences.

1. No. 4, Dugan (Darren Nagle); 2. No. 2, Organisateur (Paddy Young); 3. No. 5, Complete Zen (Richard Boucher).

$10,000 Henry Collins maiden claiming hurdle, 23/8 miles over national fences.

1. No. 4, Black Pond (Kieran Norris); 2. No. 1, Flagrant Honor (Jeff Murphy); 3. No. 2, Super Saturday (Willie McCarthy).