Song full of praise after Kingwell success

Song For Someone made it an afternoon to remember for trainer Tom Symonds after he took the rearranged Betway Kingwell Hurdle under jockey Aidan Coleman for owners Sir Peter and Lady Gibbings.

Shortened into 11/8F after a second place over 2m 3f to Thomas Darby at Ascot last month and with the race transferred from the lost Wincanton card the weekend previously, he found plenty for pressure after the last when he needed it, and managed to deny Diego Du Charmil on the line by half a length.

Former Grade 1 novice hurdler Quick Grabim took the field along over the first, with Elgin bringing up the rear under Tom Cannon, having been off since July 2018 with injury. No serious issues over the first two, and down the side Song For Someone went alongside the leader approaching the third.

Elgin wasn’t fluent at it and surrendered a length at it, stepping at the hurdle and landing awkwardly. Heading down the back towards the two hurdles down the back Paddy Brennan was turning the screw a little on Quick Grabim. As the tempo lifted at 3 out Elgin very quickly became outpaced and ridden along by Tom Cannon, dropping 7 lengths adrift of the remainder of the field as they all swung out of the back straight and approaching 2 out.

Turning in Ch’Tibello and Diego Du Charmil caught the eye, both making steady progress in behind, while Aidan Coleman was getting to work on Song For Someone as Quick Grabim also came under a drive. Zambella was in behind these four heading down to the penultimate flight. Diego Du Charmil cruised up towards the second last under Harry Cobden and jumped it more fluent than Ch’Tibello on his inside. Zambella was untidy and that knocked her challenge out for the count, while Quick Grabim faded between the last two.

At the last Diego Du Charmil jumped it just ahead of Ch’Tibello, who had been switched by Harry Skelton from the inside to take another crack at the leader. Song For Someone wasn’t fluent at the last and had three lengths to make up on landing and barely a furlong to make it up.

Heading to the rail separating the chase and hurdle courses it looked like Diego Du Charmil was going to prevail and hold off his pursuers, but whilst he had the measure of Ch’Tibello, Aidan and his mount had other ideas, and charged down the outside for one final crack and bite of the cherry, and in the shadow of the winning post their effort was rewarded as he clutched victory from the jaws of defeat, right under the nose of Diego Du Charmil, prevailing by half a length in determined, dogged fashion.

Speaking after the race, trainer Tom Symonds stated he would not be going to Cheltenham, but also that “two and a half miles at Aintree” would be his aim for later in the season.

This potentially sounds like a tilt at the Aintree Hurdle is on the cards, and he could make up into a very decent chaser in time after a performance like the one he showed, when his back was against the wall with defeat staring him in the eyes, and yet he still found a way to pull it out of the fire.