Jumps Season Finale, Sandown Park Racecourse, Saturday 27th April 2019

Astonishing Altior breaks UK jumps record

Altior. In English, it translates from Latin to “higher”. And that’s certainly what he was in terms of class, prowess, and in capturing his 19th straight victory over obstacles, achievement. With victory in the Grade 1 Bet365 Celebration Chase, he surpassed the record of 18 straight victories set by legendary staying hurdler Big Buck’s, making him the all-time record holder of the most successive wins by a jumps horse.

The hope was there before the race, after another glorious victory in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, albeit with him having to work harder than ever before to score that day, but there were a few doubts pre-race in the days leading up to the day that he would be pulled out on the account of the going, which was forecast to be good, good-to-firm in places. After walking the course, trainer Nicky Henderson declared that he would indeed line up in the race, much to the relief of the many at Sandown and plenty more watching at home who had backed the short-priced 1/6 favourite.

Altior took up a front running position alongside Diego Du Charmil, with second favourite Sceau Royal settled in third, God’s Own and Vosne Romanee bringing up the rear as the field went over the first and made their way to the ditch, a fence Altior famously gives plenty of length. It was a case of no exception and business as usual, the leader flying the ditch with a stunning, accurate leap. The leader again flew the 5th with a scintillating leap, and again measured the sixth.

The field closed up on him over the three railway fences, as Altior displayed a slight tendency to jump out to his left over them. Swinging around the far turn he was still 2 lengths up, and over the Pond Fence, Diego Du Charmil and Vosnee Romanee both began to feel the pressure and dropped back through the field as the front three swung for home, with Altior being given a reminder to keep up the gallop.

Over 2 out Sceau Royal made an error when just looking to begin to lay down a challenge to Altior, and the leader scooted down towards the last with a 2 length lead. He popped over the last, but not as fast as Sceau Royal, who attempted to mount a stern challenge to the leader up the Sandown hill. However, as is customary for Altior, he began to lengthen away under Nico De Boinville and scored by 2 and a half lengths to long time pursuer and rival Sceau Royal, God’s Own running a mighty race for third, Vosnee Romanee picking up fourth ( for some delighted connections, who made it clear afterwards in the winner’s enclosure ), and Diego Du Charmil picking up fifth.

There were jubilant scenes in the winner’s enclosure afterwards as Altior came back to a rapturous applause from all the people gathered, all hailing the horse who has captured the hearts of the racing community. It was here that when asked by Nicky what he thought of the performance, Nico declared that Altior wanted to do one thing and shown it to him today – “go further”.

“There is not much point doing it for the Ryanair, so you have got to go King George. How we set it up, I'm not quite sure, but we've got a long summer to think about that”.

Already penciled in is the King George on Boxing Day, and it would be a mouth-watering sight to see him over such a trip, but first up is the proposition of where he will start his season off. An early favourite is the 1965 Chase at Ascot in November, where he could take on the highest rated chaser in Britain in Cyrname, who will reportedly also have a crack at the King George as an early season target.

Nico De Boinville, the winning jockey, added that he is looking forward to taking on the likes of Cyrname next season, and although Altior didn’t travel as he would have liked him to, stepping up in trip is what he will do next season as it is what he feels the horse in telling him, and that he will need every yard of 2 and a half to three miles by the time next season comes around. It leaves the jumps enthusiast a whole summer, or approximately 6 months, to dream of the mouth-watering clash that is potentially coming in November between some of the best middle distance chasers in the country, and perhaps a few from Ireland, notably Min, a scorching winner of the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree’s Grand National Meeting. Just one to throw in from over there who could make it an early season spectacle.

Rest of the action

In the opening bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle, it was a scintillating performance from the Paul Nicholls trained Getaway Trump, who scored in impressive fashion when giving a stone to the runner-up Harambe, and 11lbs in weight to number two on the card Dream Du Grand Val.

Sent off the 9/2 favourite after winning at Ayr a couple of weeks back, he was produced after 2 out to win by 2 ¾ lengths under a superb, power packed ride by jockey Harry Cobden. The performance was made even more incredible by the fact that he had gone up a further 9lbs than when he was second to the leading British middle distance novice hurdler Champ in the Challow Novices Hurdle in late December.

Dream Du Grand Val veered to their right at the start, giving away ground and being slowly away. It was Airton who set a good pace, the field being only separated by a maximum of 12 lengths first to last. In a race of not much incident at all, Dream Du Grand Val travelled up on the outside, making room before the turn for home and looking comfortable, but eye-catchingly Getaway Trump was moving along menacingly, jockey Harry Cobden looking poised and unphased.

Upon turning in it was a handicappers dream, with what appeared to be all horses travelling well and in with a chance. Over 2 out Getaway Trump was produced to lead, scampering 2 lengths clear on the run down to the last. Dream Du Grand Val dropped away tamely after making up ground to get back in contention, and Harambe was sent in pursuit of the leader approaching the last.

A great leap got Getaway Trump safely over the last, the horse standing right off before being sent off up the hill by Harry. He kept on stoutly to repel any challenge from Harambe and Humble Hero, the only two who could get anywhere near him, and scored by 2 ½ lengths from the gallant Harambe in second, with Humble Hero taking third, Scarlet Dragon bagging fourth.

Asked afterwards, trainer Paul Nicholls stated he was unsure whether or not to go chasing with him next season or keep him over hurdles, but wherever the horse goes, it can be assumed he will make his presence felt somewhat.

As if being crowned champion conditional wasn’t making the day already an excellent one for Bryony Frost, she scored on her first ride back from a broken collarbone when taking the Grade 2 Bet365 Oaksey Chase under her long time partner and 15/8 favourite Black Corton.

In doing so, she reached the 50-winner total for the season, the winner and her storming clear of the field to win by 11 lengths to the gallant Gold Present.

Go Conquer and Cobra De Mai went off on the 2m 6f trip on a very quick pace, the latter getting the better jump to lead on by 3 lengths at the end of the first jump and approaching the second. Black Corton was third, Charbel, Josses Hill, San Benedeto and Gold Present making up the order heading down the back. The leader came back to the field going to the Pond Fence first time around, and going past the stands every one was travelling nicely, save for Josses Hill who was given a reminder by Nico De Boinville to keep him up to his work.

Black Corton flew the ditch going down the back to join the leader up his inside, taking aim at him and ensuring he wouldn’t have it all his own way. Go Conquer was starting to struggle at this point, slowly being passed by the entire field. Cobra De Mai was back in a partial lead at the railway fences, while Charbel hit the last of them and that stopped his run and from this point he was always on the back foot. Gold Present and San Benedeto had moved up to press the two up front as they swung out of the back onto the Pond Fence, 3 out.

The leader hit it and gave away ground, whilst Black Corton measured it well and went on rounding the turn, leaving the other two lengths down, headed by Gold Present and San Benedeto. Black Corton flew the last and scampered clear under a power-packed finish from Bryony Frost to score by 11 lengths in impressive fashion from Gold Present and San Benedeto.

Trainer Paul Nicholls stated to the assembled reporters that a trip to the Galway Plate could be next for the horse, which is a fascinating thought as he does prove to be better on Good, summer ground, just like when he was scoring two years ago at Worcester in a Class 4 Novice chase, showing again how far up the ranks the horse has come. In a swift change of plans however, he will loine up on Saturday at Royal Ascot in the Queen Alexandra Stakes over 2m 5f, and it will be a fascinating contest to look out for.

The race was marred however, in a truly tragic postscript, by the death of Josses Hill, who collapsed after the line and despite the best efforts of all who attended him, could not be saved. Our thoughts and condolences go to all his connections upon their loss.

Talk is cheap, according to the saying. But the talk about this horse in the week leading up to the race was no fluke as the aptly named Talkischeap took a stellar renewal of the Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, known as the Whitbread Gold Cup, under a sensational ride from jockey Wayne Hutchison for trainer Alan King.

Support for him kept coming in throughout the week leading up to the race, seeing him eventually going off 7/1, shortening all the time on the day.

After a largely uneventful race, with favourites Present Man and Rock the Kasbah amongst a host of fancied horses feeling the pinch of the quicker-than-ideal ground, resulting in being pulled up, upon turning in, two previous winners in The Young Master and last year’s victor Step Back looked to have to slug it out between the both of them, but waiting in behind menacingly was Wayne Hutchinson, buoyed by how well his mount was travelling and the statement that this season was his best season yet, having seen him rock up 87 winners to that point. He crept up behind The Young Master at 2 out, these two moving away from Step Back and Nico De Boinville, who looked set for third.

A superb leap at the last saw Talkischeap go from second to first in mid air, his slick efficient jump giving him more momentum to begin up the Sandown hill, powering well clear from his rivals like as though the race has just started. He scored by 10 lengths to be 88 up for the season, the joy evident on his face as he went across the line.

Trainer Alan King mentioned post race that he would have to give next year’s Grand National a serious look, but was more enthusiastic over the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Newbury, especially after he saw the performance his charge has just put up.

The bet365 Select Hurdle has been won in the past by some classy types including Ptit Zig and L’Ami Serge. First run in 2014, the race had previously only been won by horses from the Nicholls or Henderson stable. That trend was bucked by the Kim Bailey trained Younevercall, who came into the race having finished on his latest run behind subsequent Stayers’ Hurdle champion Paisley Park in the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last December.

After taking up the running at the start of the race, the eventual winner and 9/4 favourite was taken on and passed for the lead by the keen Rayvin Black, giving his jockey Leighton Aspell something to think about during the subsequent distance to be covered; Black Op was also somewhat keen for his rider Jonathan Burke. His task was made harder at the 5th, where he got in too low and made a bad mistake. Rounding the turn away from home, Thomas Campbell had to be niggled along by James Bowen, but by the far turn, he was detached by some 5-6 lengths. Younevercall duly at this point regained the lead from Rayvin Black, who began to show that the keen exertions in the early part of the race were beginning to take their toll. An accurate jump at the 8th saw the leader skip a couple of lengths clear, with Black Op and On The Blind Side making errors in behind; the former’s second serious mistake of the race.

Entering the home straight, the warning signs for backers of Black Op were evidently clear, as Jonathan Burke began getting very serious with the horse, with the leader and On The Blind Side beginning to draw clear approaching 2 out. The leader was more fluent, and drew readily clear, before another good leap at the last saw him and rider David Bass pull away from On The Blind Side to record a 9 length success, in taking fashion. Eyecatchingly, Thomas Campbell, off the bridle some way out after becoming detached, ran on for 3rd place; a proper 3 mile stamina test will be absolutely ideal for him next season, whether he embarks on a novice chasing campaign or sticks to hurdles.

After the race, it was announced by connections of Rayvin Black that the horse had run his last race, and had been duly retired. He has been a fantastic servant to connections, who we know will give him a superb retirement home. Thank you for the memories RB!

The Galloping on the South Downs Partnership have been a fantastic connection for racing, as shown every April with their sponsorship of the Sir A.P.McCoy Injured Jockeys’ Fund Charity Football Match, with them also providing their colours as the home strip for the event. Their colours were once again brought to the fore, as top-weight and 10-3 favourite Larry produced an excellent round of jumping to win the bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase for the family duo of Gary and Jamie Moore.

After a largely uneventful start, consisting of the first 3 fences being the famous ‘Railway Fences’, Bandsman and Zalvados both hit the Pond Fence on the first circuit. El Terremoto was the next to make an error, hitting the 5th, before Zalvados made his second unfortunate mistake at the open-ditch in front of the stands. After the only water jump of the race was jumped, Larry began to move into contention on the outside.

The final ‘Railway Fence’ on the far side saw the rider of Gone Platinum, Lorcan Williams, call a cab, a shuddering mistake, with El Terremoto dropping out of contention, his odds as the 25-1 outsider being proven correct. At 3 out, Larry joined the leaders to press, with a host of horses in with a chance of winning; another dream for the handicapper. Larry hit the front between the final two fences and produced a fluent leap at the last to all but settle the race. However, fast-finishing in behind was Gone Platinum, who was nothing but game for Lorcan’s urges. These urges only just failed to steal the win from Larry; but drama was not too far away.

A stewards’ enquiry was called, and for a while it seemed there may have been a very strong case for the placings to be reversed, as Larry had indeed drifted to his right. In the end, however, the placings remained unaltered, and connections could breathe a sigh of relief for a horse who surely must have early season targets such as the Betvictor Gold Cup firmly in their sights for next season.

The final race of the day went to the familiar combination of Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson, as Colonial Dreams took the bet365 Handicap Hurdle for connections.

It was a very typically run 2-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle, with Trans Express moving off a few lengths clear entering the home straight for the first time. The Philip Hobbs-trained pair of Wait For Me and That’s A Given were both held up in rear throughout the early stages, and at the third hurdle down the back straight, the former was a little sticky under Richard Johnson, but no serious damage was done to his position. River Frost, carrying those familiar green and gold silks, was the first to come under serious pressure, receiving reminders after the jumping had been completed down the back.

As the field turned for home, Colonial Dreams moved into the lead, but gaining ground quickly was Wait For Me, and jumping 2 out, many would have thought that the 11-4 favourite would go on easily under the champion jockey to win as he liked. This was not to be, as despite both horses jumping the last fluently, it was Colonial Dreams, under Nico’s drive, that eventually prevailed on the uphill finish, to win by a length.

The bet365 Jumps Season Finale ultimately had it all. 2 wins for Nicholls, 2 wins for Henderson and De Boinville, history and farewells both made, champions crowned. This season may well be remembered for the history makers; Altior and Tiger Roll ultimately top that list, but some newcomers are certainly ones to watch next season, especially Getaway Trump and Talkischeap, who could have a big season next year.

More images available to view on our Flickr page, including the pre-racing celebrations of the Parade Of Champions and the awarding of the Champion Trainer, Jockey and Owners. https://www.flickr.com/photos/153708976@N07/albums/72157706839559531

Until next season!