Rouge smokes opposition in Flying Spur demolition

“A Graded horse thrown into a handicap”. This phrase has been said many a time, and it was used once again as Rouge Vif took apart a quality field on his seasonal reappearance in the Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Rouge Vif on his way to victory in the Kingmaker Novices Chase at Warwick in February

Sent off at 5/1, the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices Chase winner of last season made mincemeat of his opposition under an enterprising ride from Daryl Jacob for trainer Harry Whittington and owners Kate & Andrew Brooks.

He jumped off prominently with Northern Beau, another dedicated front runner, with Doitforthevillage bringing up the rear. Northern Beau went on at the second, setting a fierce pace where they took no prisoners.

Rouge Viv was very good at the fifth, the fence down the side by what should have been a busy Best Mate Enclosure, and there were no serious errors until the eighth, where Scardura blundered and unseated Sam Twiston-Davies.

In what was the going theme in this race, Rouge Vif put in a spectacular leap at the ninth, flying it and putting Northern Beau under more pressure, who had attempted to eyeball him and light him up. At the tenth, Katpoli blundered badly and unseated Charlie Hammond, the poor conditional having no chance of staying in the saddle.

Swinging in and freewheeling down the hill Azzuri was being niggled along by Bridget Skelton ( nee Andrews ). Dolos blew away any chance he had at 3 out, blundering and knocking the stuffing out of him. At the bottom of the hill and swinging into the straight Rouge Vif had every single one of his remaining rivals on the stretch, being ridden along while Daryl was oozing confidence aboard his willing partner.

With two to jump Rouge Vif was up by 3 lengths, and produced a great leap to lead on from Ballywood and On The Slopes. Northern Beau was starting to go backwards, her earlier exertions now telling. Dolos was trying to mount a challenge but was never getting there.

Rouge Vif flew the last and cleared away by 5 lengths on landing, and from then it was simply a case of name the distance, having only receiving one slap of the whip from Daryl to send him on his way to a fine seven-and-a-half length win, heavily eased down at the end. Western Miller flew home for second at a massive 66/1, while Beat The Judge stayed on for third.

Trainer Harry Whittington hinted post race that a return to Cheltenham in just over 3 weeks for the Grade 2 Shloer Chase on Greatwood Hurdle Day over the same distance at the November Meeting was his next port of call, and then after that it can easily be assumed he will go, providing he gets his ground, to the Tingle Creek at Sandown Park in December.