Kingmaker Chase Day, Warwick Racecourse - Full Report
Before racing there was a minute’s silence for James Banks, Robert Alner and Paul Blockley, 3 notable names in racing who were sadly lost in the week of the meeting. It was impeccably honoured by all at the course, with more than a few tears being shed for those who had passed. Our thoughts are with their families at this difficult time.
Rouge Vif carried on his return to form in emphatic fashion when taking the Grade 2 Agetur UK Kingmaker Novices Chase for trainer Harry Whittingdon and jockey Gavin Sheehan.
A 7/2 chance at the off, on the back of his second in the Wayward Lad at Kempton at Christmas, he made a pillar to post round of safe, efficient jumping to score by 7 lengths from the well backed 5/4F Nube Negra, carrying on his fine return to form after a wind operation in November.
Torpillo and Rouge Vif took the lead, all jumping well as the field passed the stands with a circuit to run. All ran well within themselves until Torpillo was sketchy at the middle fence down the back, while Djingle was outpaced at rear at this stage with Moonlighter.
Nube Negra and Rouge Vif quickly cleared away after 3 out from their rivals, leaving Torpillo well behind to lead home the stragglers, including Precious Cargo, who despite all the hype beforehand never managed to land a blow. Swinging in it was clearly a straight fight between the favourite Nube Negra and the leader Rouge Vif, who was bowling along in front and evidently enjoying himself.
Over 2 out Rouge Vif had gone 2 lengths up on the favourite. He made a clearer getaway from the penultimate fences and quickly put more distance between him and his nearest rival heading down to the final fence. At the last he met it well and effortlessly and impressively cleared away to win by 7 lengths. Nube Negra was runner up, with Precious Cargo getting up for third.
Post race, he has been shortened into 16/1 for the Arkle at next month's Cheltenham Festival with the likes of Betfred and Ladbrokes, but can be backed for 33/1 with Betfair for the same contest. Rouge Vif has taken a seat at the top table of Britan's two mile novices for the major spring festivals, and it would be no surprise to see him enter the winner's enclosure at one of those.
Hot on the heels of the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase was the Listed Paddy Power “31 Sleeps to Cheltenham” Mares’ Hurdle. It went to a mare so full of consistency at present and that was the shape of the Paul Webber trained Indefatigable, who stayed on stoutly to take the contest under Richie McLernon.
Sent off the 7/2 Co-Favourite with Legends Gold and Cap Soleil, the mare prevailed by 6 lengths to Copper Gone West, who had no answer when trying to make a challenge after two out.
At flagfall early Morning Rain and Guardia Top joined Copper Gone West at the head of the field on the approach to the first. Guardia Top and Copper Gone West went a few lengths up on the rest of the field turning out of the back straight. The former was slicker at her hurdles down the home straight, allowing her to maintain an advantage as the runners made their way past the stands with a circuit to run.
After jumping the only hurdle down the side and following the long run to the back straight where the next hurdle met them, Guardia Top had made a 2 length gap on the field, increasing the tempo in a bid to run the sting out of some of her rivals. Indefatigable and Richie were quick to keep tabs on her though and closed in on her outside to just over a length and a half away. At 5 out Copper Gone West hit it and dropped back, getting a shake of the reins from Adrian Heskin, though at 4 out these urgings became more urgent, slowly dropping away off the tail end of the field.
At 3 out Guardia Top blundered through it and lost the lead, with Indefatigable taking the lead on her outside and travelling better. Straightening up off the home bend the leader blundered at two out, getting in close and allowing Copper Gone West another bite of the cherry. At the last however the leader had flown from the field, and with a fine leap at the last, scampered off up the run in to put the race to bed in fine style. Copper Gone West held on for second, with Coded Message getting up for third.
Clondaw Castle bounced back from a disappointing run in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December to take the Paddy Power “From The Horse’s Mouth” Warwick Castle Handicap Chase for trainer Tom George under jockey Paddy Brennan.
An 11/2 fancy at the off, the eight year old stayed on well to not only confirm he gets the trip, but do it in a powerful fashion to defeat Two Taffs by 4 and a half lengths, much to the delight of his owners J French, D McDermott, S. Nelson and T. Syder.
Northern Beau went to the lead at flagfall, setting a decent pace up front, with Gala Ball taking a run up the inside leading the remainder of the field 3 lengths behind. No serious errors were noted, even after they had gone over the top of the hill and past halfway, all jumping well and racing well within themselves.
King Of Realms split the front two as the field swung into the back and the pace lifted. Belami Des Pictons dropped away going down the back and was starting to struggle at this point. Clondaw Castle had moved through to go into a share of third with Generous Day. At 3 out Northern Beau was swamped and dropped back, while Katpoli and Generous Day both stoked their fires to mount a challenge on Clondaw Castle, King Of Realms and Two Taffs, who had made eye catching progress from the rear to get into a striking position on his rivals.
At 2 out Clondaw Castle was in close, which kept King Of Realms in the game, and both grimly set down to fight it out towards the last, at which Clondaw Castle was better narrowly. Under Paddy’s drive he powered clear of his rival to score by 4 ½ lengths. King Of Realms was caught on the run in for second by Two Taffs, but neither were going to be in a position to catch the impressive winner, who made up somewhat for a below par run at the home of National Hunt Racing last time out.
Racing began at Warwick shortly after the emotional minute’s silence with the “Join Racing TV Now” Novices Hurdle, and it went to the Lucy Wadham trained Trincomalee, who obliged at odds of 4/1.
Prominent throughout, he made steady progress after 3 out to mount a challenge at the penultimate hurdle, and kept up the ante to score by two lengths to the well fancied Firak, trained locally by Dan Skelton.
One Touch was sent straight into the lead by David Bass, Demachine and Mag’s Melody happy to track him by a length and a half further back. Those were 7 lengths ahead of Kingsplace at the second, where Jaytee and Upton Road weren’t fluent. Boomtime Banker wasn’t quite losing touch with the field but was still travelling well, while Flemings was struggling to travel with fluency and was niggled along by Henry Platt.
The field was more heavily grouped going down the side, the pace somewhat steadier than the opening punches. At the hurdle down the side Flemings was awkward and lost various lengths, while One Touch was very good at it.
At 5 out Boomtime Banker got reminders from Kielan Woods, having not jumped fluently all the way around. At 4 out Kingsplace was shaken up, where Upton Road took a slithering fall. At 3 out Demachine went on slightly from One Touch, with Jaytee and Trincomalee stalking in behind. Rounding the home turn Demachine was just ahead of Trincomalee and Jaytee, with Firak and Kinfsplace just in behind. One Touch had weakened rather rapidly and was pulled up by David Bass before 2 out.
Demachine blundered 2 out and Trincomalee took the lead and went on towards the last. A decent jump at the last gave him a two length advantage on landing, and he kept on going with he gallop to score by the same distance from Firak, who was five lengths ahead of Demachine.
Post race, David Bass reported that his mount One Touch had stopped quickly. An examination of the horse revealed he had not only lost his left-fore shoe, but had also bled from the nose.
Following the first, there was a parade from Retraining Of Racehorses of several of the stars from recent years. They featured;
ANNACOTTY - a 12 year old previously trained by Martin Keighley and a former Paddy Power Gold Cup winner in 2015 who now competes with rider Hannah Bishop in Showjumping, showing, dressage and hunting. He has already taken his connections to events they thought were only a pipe dream beforehand, which culminated in the 2019 ROR Tattersalls Show series Final at Hickstead. Ridden in the parade by Hannah Bishop.
CARRUTHERS - a 17 year old formerly trained by Mark Bradstock, who was the winner of the 2011 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury under Mattie Batchelor. He now engages in drag hunting and is a school master for Point-To-Pointing. It is also planned that he will undergo team chasing this year. Ridden in the parade by Lily Bradstock.
CONEYGREE – a 13 year old who made history in 2015 by becoming the first novice in 41 years to win the Blue Riband event of National Hunt Racing, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Since retiring from racing in February last year, he has taken to showing like a duck to water, qualifying for the ROR Goffs UK National Championships at Aintree, winning the In-Hand Class and being placed in several other ridden showing classes. Ridden in the parade by Sara Bradstock.
MIKO DE BEAUCHENE – the winner of the 2007 Welsh Grand National when trained by the late Robert Alner, who racing remembered earlier that day, Since retiring in 2013 he has been hunting with the North Cotswold Hunt, showing huge enthusiasm for it. He also undertakes showjumping, eventing and hunter trials, and his owner Andrew Wiles is keen to continue with the latter this year. Ridden in the parade by Tracey Phillips.
THE NEW ONE – a favourite of ours at JTW Equine Images, he was trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies at Naunton and triumphed in 20 races, including the 2013 Grade 2 Leamington Novices Hurdle at Warwick and the Grade 1 Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival two months later. Placed in several Champion Hurdles, he was retired from racing in December 2018, and since then has been in the care of Wayne Jones, who looked after him during his time at Nigel’s. He enjoys hacking and schooling with Wayne, and the plan is to take him hunting later this year. Ridden in the parade by Siobhan Humphries.
THOMAS CRAPPER – Formerly trained by Robin Dickin, the 13-year-old was placed in two Cheltenham Festivals and won the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury by 20 lengths in 2017 before finishing fourth 12 days later in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Cheltenham Festival behind the Grade 1 winner Road To Respect. Since retirement he has been retrained by Harriet Dickin to undertake showing, which has resulted in him winning two classes at the ROR Goffs UK National Championships, eventing and hunting. Ridden in the parade by Harriet Dickin.
After a much appreciated round of applause for all of the attendees of the parade, the racing resumed with the Cheltenham Preview Here Thursday 5th March Handicap Hurdle, and it went to the Michael Scudamore trained Ask Himself, who bounced back from a poor run last time at Kelso to score under Brendan Powell Jr.
Sent off at 9/1, he was always up towards the front of the pace and jumped well to defeat Pop The Cork by a length and a quarter.
As expected for a minimum trio race, the pace was quick approaching the first, King D’Argent taking the field along from Petit Palais. The leader wasn’t too fluent at the second, but remained a partnership with Harry Skelton, and was much more fluent at the third as the field went down the side. Ishyaboi was around 3 or 4 lengths off the pace at rear swinging into the back after the hill and was rousted along by Jack Tudor to get back into contention.
At 4 out recent second at Huntingdon Bard Of Brittany took closer order with Ask Himself, who along with Karakoram and Pop The Cork had made steady progress to mount a challenge after 3 out as the pace lifted and the field became more spaced out.
Swinging in and approaching 2 out Ask Himself had gone to the front, eagerly chased by Pop The Cork and Bard Of Brittany. King D’Argent had dropped out of contention and was slowly emptying as his rivals took the fight towards two out.
The leader was more fluent than his rivals when he needed to be at the penultimate hurdle, and winged the last as well. It kept him ahead, and he defied every challenge from Pop The Cork to take the victory for owner Mrs Lynne Maclennan. Karakoram took third, with Bard Of Brittany unable to go one better than his second at Huntingdon 48 hours earlier back in fourth.
Fortunate George may not be the most reliable horse, but he backed up a positive effort at Plumpton last month with victory in the Larkshill Engineering Handicap Hurdle for trainer Emma Lavelle and conditional jockey Henry Platt.
A 14/1 shot before the off, he scored for owners The George Inn Racing Syndicate, clearing away from the last to win by 4 and a half lengths, receiving a congratulatory pat on the neck from his delighted jockey upon crossing the line.
At flagfall Some Detail, Dadsintrouble, Buster Edwards, Fortunate George and Mr Love all contested for the lead on the run towards the first, with all bar Dadsintrouble led over it, the latter making a blunder at the first. Buster Edwards dropped back to take a more settled position as the field went over the hill towards the back straight.
At the fourth Lisdoonvarna Lad was given a few reminders by Jack Tudor, possibly to pick his ideas up. He received more as went over the sixth, and there had been no other jumping errors or change in the running order as the field went out of their final circuit.
Approaching the hill March On was snatched up and had to be pulled wide to get a bit closer to the front of the field. The pace lifted at 4 out and that took a few by surprise. At 3 out Mr Love poached 2 lengths on his pursuers, who were headed by Fortunate George and Dadsintrouble.
Swinging in Henry Platt had got Fortunate George ahead of Mr Love, with Dadsintrouble and Some Detail following suit at 2 out. At the last the leader jumped it well, much better than Dadsintrouble, who made a bad blunder on landing and needed to be scooped up by Alan Johns. That left Some Detail to go and try to reel in the leader, but the bird had flown and was eased down at the end into a 4 ½ length victory for his young conditional. Buster Edwards stayed on for third, while Dadsintrouble’s blunder at the last cost him a shot at victory, and was ultimately a beaten fourth.
The final race of the day was the Watch Irish Racing On Racing TV Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race, and was taken in good fashion by Sizeable Sam, who took the finale for trainer Jeremy Scott and owner Mrs Camilla Scott under jockey Nick Scholfied.
Second in their only other start to the highly regarded Confirmation Bias at Wincanton, the Black Sam Bellamy gelding was always prominent and reeled in the favourite Cadzand with a furlong to run to score by 1 ¼ lengths.
It can easily be said that whatever he does in flat races and over hurdles will be a bonus, as he is a very big, strapping horse that is built for chasing, and possibly over much further due to his breeding and how stoutly he stayed on.
Plenty more images can be found on our Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/153708976@N07/albums/72157713027420991
