Day Two

AIR CHARTER SERVICE MILDMAY NOVICES’ CHASE

CONDITIONS had turned on day two and although they worsened throughout the day with continuous rainfall, the ground was soft enough for Gerri Colombe to justify favouritism in the opening contest (good-to-soft at the time, before officially turning soft after race three) and gain some sort of compensation following his narrow defeat at the Cheltenham Festival. Sent off at odds-on, he was ridden with confi dence by Davy Russell and the seven-year-old jumped with aplomb. Tracking the pace throughout, he travelled with ease and appeared to be going with a degree of comfort on the home turn, despite sitting around 4 or 5 lengths off Galia des Liteaux . Taking over two out, Gerri Colombe asserted on the run to the last fence, which he jumped beautifully, as he did throughout. He had 7½ lengths to spare over Complete Unknown – officially rated 152 prior to the race, on the back of a wide-margin handicap success at Kempton – with Bronn a further 3¼ lengths back in third. The latter made a fairly serious error down the back and was beaten further by the winner on this occasion, than was the case when he also filled the third spot in the Brown Advisory. This didn’t look the deepest Grade 1 novices’ chase in truth, but the winner was very impressive and is very much at his best on a soft surface. Perhaps, the flatter track was more to his liking and although he needs to step forward again next winter if he is to mix it at the top table in open company, that narrow Cheltenham reversal remains his only defeat in nine career starts. This was a very smooth and polished performance.

William Hill Handicap Hurdle

UNPLACED in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on his previous start, Fennor Cross was stepping up to 2m4f for the first time and won for a third time over hurdles, under promising claimer Ben Harvey. John McConnell’s six-year-old had won twice at Cheltenham earlier in the campaign – including in Grade 2 company in mid-November – and could be called the winner of this hugely competitive handicap when hitting the front two out. He won by a couple of lengths in the end, but was probably value for a bit more and will likely revert to the Flat during the summer, where he will be of interest in middle-distance/staying handicaps, from an I.H.R.B. rating of just 81. There could well be a valuable prize to be won with him in the coming months and he hails from a very shrewd stable. His I.H.R.B. hurdles mark went up to 137 (+7) on the back of this success.

Runner-up Buddy One is another Irish-trained six-year-old novice and he gives the form a solid look, having finished third – off 4lbs lower – in the Martin Pipe the time before, whilst Sonigino (3rd) came from a long way off the pace to hit the frame. Held-up, he suffered a little interference early in the race and still had plenty to do up the home straight. He had won three times earlier in the campaign – on the back of a wind-op – and was put up 3lbs (135) for this effort by the handicapper. The front three pulled nicely clear.

POUNDLAND TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE

THE SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE form was given another boost, with the first and second having run in the opening contest from last month’s Cheltenham Festival (incidentally, the front three from the Supreme are all likely to be in action at the upcoming Punchestown Festival). I had hoped that Henry de Bromhead would step Inthepocket back up in trip to contest the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, but the rain-softened ground brought his stamina into play and he ran out a convincing winner, despite Rachael Blackmore dropping her stick at the last. Never too far from the pace (prominent in the main group), he travelled and jumped well throughout and took control of the race between the final two flights. Pushed out, he was always fending off the opposition and remains a really nice prospect, who will have the option of going chasing next season. Interestingly, the Irish handicapper left his I.H.R.B. mark unchanged (147).

Runner-up Strong Leader had finished only ninth in the Supreme (best of the British) but ran a remarkable race here for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen, as he appeared to be in trouble leaving the back straight, only to make up lots of ground in the closing stages. Still second last jumping three out, he was probably around 10 lengths down at the final flight and was beaten by less than 2 lengths in the end. Better ground would surely have helped his chance and he could be worth stepping up in trip by half-amile on this evidence. Flat tracks appear to suit the good-looking six-year-old, who was put up 3lbs (143) for this performance.

Luccia was another length away in third and ran a much better race than she had done in the Dawn Run at Cheltenham. She will be a force in the mares’ only division next season, whilst Hansard (4th) took a huge step forward for Gary Moore. A winner at Huntingdon and Plumpton, he finished only fifth in the Dovecote at Kempton, but travelled really well for a long way and was one of the more obvious eye-catchers throughout the week. The handicapper reacted by putting him up 11lbs to 140 and I wonder if he will be considered for the Swinton at Haydock (Saturday 13th May). Versatile in terms of ground, this was a career-best from the son of The Gurkha, who was a bumper winner for Charles O’Brien before joining current connections.

MARSH CHASE (Registered as The Melling Chase)

SPORTING first-time cheek-pieces, runner-up Fakir d’Oudairies was bidding to become the first horse to win three renewals of the Melling Chase, but the 2021 and 2022 winner had no response to Pic d’Orhy who made it three wins from four starts this season, with his sole reversal coming at the hands of Bowl winner Shishkin, in the Ascot Chase. Fakir d’Oudairies finished third on that occasion, so the winner confirmed the form with a polished display, in what – in truth – appeared to be a slightly-substandard renewal. The title holder hadn’t appeared in the same form this season and the winner was previously 0-6 in Grade 1 company. Ridden close to the pace by Harry Cobden, the flat-track specialist moved with ease throughout and cruised to the front two out. Asked to take care of Minella Drama (3rd), a good jump at the last sealed the result and he was 4¼ lengths too good for the second at the line.

In behind, Fugitif failed to build on a very promising run at the Cheltenham Festival and it looked as though it was one race too far, rather than just the stepping up in class, which resulted in him being beaten such a long way. The Old Roan – over this same course-and-distance – would appeal as the obvious early-season target for Richard Hobson’s eight-year-old, who remains on a mark of 153.

Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase

FIVE years after Portrush Ted won the Grade 2 bumper, Warren Greatrex celebrated another big-race victory at the Grand National meeting as mud-loving Bill Baxter took the Topham Chase under Sam Twiston-Davies. The lightly-raced grey has always threatened to develop into a really nice horse and has flourished since going chasing this term. Now four-from-five since undergoing wind surgery, this was a career-best by some distance, as he was scoring off a mark of 133, having started that winning run off just 115. Well-positioned throughout, he took to the fences and got into a really nice rhythm. He took the Canal Turn particularly well (made ground) and came between horses to challenge at the second last. Upsides Fantastic

Lady (2nd) at the last, he stayed on strongly on the run-in, with the runner-up improving massively on last year’s effort (unseated James Bowen at the first fence) on ground that was likely softer than ideal. The winner went up 8lbs (141) and should have little trouble in staying much further, so it will be interesting to see if he returns for the Grand Sefton and/or the Becher.

Killer Kane (3 rd) came from a long way off the pace, whilst Haut en Couleurs ran a huge race in fourth, under top-weight. He probably raced a shade too freely in the early part of the contest, but he jumped superbly and for a long way, looked like possibly outclassing the field from a mark of 157. Still relatively lightly-raced, he is only six and could well return next year for another crack at the race. Having won just once over fences – and once over hurdles – he should be placed to win a conditions event in Ireland.

WINNERS WEAR CAVANI SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE

THE soft ground made the Sefton a real test and Stay Away Fay became the sixth Albert Bartlett winner to be beaten in this race, with just two successfully following up so far. He still ran a fine race to finish a close-up fourth and remains an exciting prospect for the staying novice chase division next season. Runner-up Maximilian had skipped Cheltenham with this race in mind and confirmed the River Don form with Stay Away Fay, although despite travelling really well, was unable to reel in Apple Away, who received a 7lbs sex-allowance from the geldings to provide Lucinda Russell with a second win in the race in the past three years; Ahoy Senor was successful for the Scottish trainer in 2021, whilst Haute Estime finished runner-up last year and as highlighted in the Aintree section of this year’s Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide , she also saddled subsequent Grand National winner One For Arthur in this race, back in 2015. The daughter of Arctic Cosmos had won a handicap off just 113 at Ayr in mid-February, before improving to land a Listed race at Doncaster. Clearly improving with every run, she could develop into a very smart novice chaser herself next winter and is a former winning Irish Pointer. She is a relentless galloper and was handed a revised mark of 141 (+10lbs), whilst Maximilian went up 7lbs (146).

Martin Pipe winner Iroko stayed on well to take third spot and completed that front quartet, who pulled nicely clear of the remainder. All four look to be nice chasing prospects and ought to head down that route next term, whilst Saint Davy (9 th) shaped better than his fi nishing position might suggest, certainly for a long way at least. Given that this was his fi rst start since Christmas and just his second run over hurdles, he faced a stiff ask, whilst Mofasa (10 th) is another who I would mark up slightly, as he too only backed out of it up the home straight and would certainly have appreciated quicker ground. He is another who should make up into a really nice novice chaser next winter and was dropped 1lb (132) so could begin the season in handicap company. The ground was also offered as an excuse for beaten favourite Absolute Notions , who dropped away from the side of the course and was eventually pulled-up. This was a fairly gruelling contest for youngsters and being only fi ve, he can easily be forgiven this effort.

Abersoch Land And Sea Handicap Hurdle

DAY TWO concluded with a competitive 2m handicap hurdle for conditional and amateur jockeys and as with the opening day, it was Fergal O’Brien who would end the day on a winning note. Held-up off what appeared to be a really strong pace, Punctuation came through to lead on the run to the fi nal fl ight, under Liam Harrison. The six-year-old, who was the biggest priced winner of the week (40-1), was put up 8lbs (137) for this fifth win in his last seven starts (since joining the O'Brien stable), with the fi rst of those victories coming off a lowly mark of 95.

Given that he had been up with the strong pace throughout, runner-up Blueking d’Oroux deserves plenty of credit for Paul Nicholls and Angus Cheleda, with him having sprung a 50-1 surprise – on much quicker ground – at Ascot, just 12 days earlier. Washington fi nished third in the race for a second successive year (also never too far from the pace), whilst his stable-companion Go Dante (8 th) looked to be travelling as well as anything three out, only for his effort to stop rather quickly and as if something might have been amiss. Given an intelligent and patient ride by Jamie Codd, he should build on this next season, as it was his fi rst start in a big-fi eld handicap such as this. JPR One (5th) is another who wasn’t too far from the pace and should develop into a nice chaser next season.