Strap is Sublime

A tongue strap transformed the fortunes of Sublime Fellow yesterday when the four-year-old won a competitive novices' hurdle race at Ludlow by four lengths.

Mick Fitzgerald, the winning rider, said: "We've always thought the world of him and now he's shown what he can do in what was a decent race. He's a real classy horse."

In beating the well-regarded Certainly Strong yesterday, Sublime Fellow atoned for defeat by 33-1 stablemate Braes Of Mar at Sandown earlier this month.

"He was making a terrible noise afterwards and we found out he'd swallowed his tongue. We used a tongue strap on him today and it's worked."