Aintree Friday review: Pic D'Orhy perfect in Marsh Chase

Pic flourishes in Marsh

Pic D'Orhy landed a maiden Grade 1 success in the feature Marsh Chase at Aintree on Friday for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.

The eight-year-old has improved this season and though he was a 16-length second to Shishkin in the Betfair Ascot Chase last time he did finish ahead of Fakir D'oudairies, who was going for a hat-trick in this race.

As they approached the last it looked like Fakir D'oudairies might get there under Mark Walsh, but Pic D'Orhy found plenty after the final fence to run out a four-and-a-quarter length winner.

Fakir D'oudairies finished second with Minella Drama running a super race from a prominent position in third.

Nicholls said: “What has happened with Bravemansgame might be a blessing in disguise. He had a hard race at Cheltenham so who knows, he’ll be back next year. This week has been quite hard, a few have disappointed, a few have run well but what we like is winning these Grade Ones with horses who have been aimed at them.

“He was trained for this race and it makes a big difference when you target them here. When you aim for Cheltenham, it is hard to get them back in that form again. I just thought he’d be better on the flatter track here. I’m not saying he’ll never go to Cheltenham another day, but this was the race we wanted to win ever since he won the Peterborough Chase. We set out to go to the Silviniaco Conti Chase, Ascot and then this. This track suits him really well. He’ll certainly get an entry for the King George.”

Cobden believes Pic D’Orhy’s improved jumping has been crucial to success.

He said: “I had a lovely run round. He galloped into the first but after that he jumped brilliantly and travelled well. We didn’t get racing too early and after the second-last I asked him to go and win his race. I was going to the last on a really long stride, I don’t normally ask for that off him so I gave him a flick to remind him and it worked. He’s become a very good jumper but he didn’t use to be, I got three really bad falls off him but he’s learned. He has a low head carriage and eyes them up well.”

Joseph O’Brien thought the race was not really run to suit Fakir D’oudairies, with a step up in trip on the cards.

He said: “I think he would have liked a stronger end-to-end gallop but he came home very well and I’m delighted with him. It’s always frustrating when you don’t win, but maybe he’s ready to go a bit further now.”

Gerri tanks to Mildmay victory

Gerri Colombe justified strong market support as the 4/6 favourite cruised to a seven-and-a-half length success in the Grade 1 Air Charter Service Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Davy Russell, having his biggest win since returning to the saddle, the Brown Advisory runner-up made up for his Cheltenham near miss with a dominant performance.

Dan Skelton's Galia Des Liteaux lit up the race by going six lengths clear by the third last, but Gerri Colombe had her move covered and sauntered up to take the lead going well.

A good jump at the last sealed matters and he was well worth the winning margin with Paul Nicholls' Complete Unknown (8/1) taking second spot despite a mistake at the final fence.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 8/1 from 12s for the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

It was a notable success for the veteran rider, who called time on his glittering career in December only to return in the new year to fill in for the sidelined Jack Kennedy.

Russell endured a frustrating week at Cheltenham, standing himself down before he was due to take the ride on Elliott’s Conflated in the Gold Cup, but thrust himself back into the big-race spotlight aboard the exciting Gerri Colombe, who looks a Gold Cup horse in the making.

Of going on to Aintree, Russell said: “Gordon was the instigator. I was finished and he wasn’t happy with me finishing the way I finished. I was done, I was finished – again! And he wasn’t happy with the way the ending was and he said he wanted me to ride here.

“That’s great. All your life you’re trying to please trainers and owners, put yourself out there and let them know you’re the person for the job.

“It’s a tough sport, there are no pats on the back at all – you’re up, you’re down, you’re in, you’re out. You never get a pat on the back, you just have to keep moving on to the next day. When someone as high-profile as Gordon gives you a pat on the back or kick in the backside that you need, that’s the part of your career you have you make it work.

“I’m lucky that for the last couple of years Gordon has been behind me all the way, and his huge team of staff.”

Elliott was delighted to gain compensation for the Gerri Colombe’s Cheltenham defeat.

He said: “He’s a good horse. We were disappointed after Cheltenham. We felt he was the best horse in the race and that proved it today.

“He’s a horse to be excited about next year.”

Owner Brian Acheson felt The Real Whacker was a deserved victor last month, but is keen to see what the future holds for Gerri Colombe,

He said: “The one thing I will say, on the day at Cheltenham I felt the best horse won on the day, he jumped better than us and Sam (Twiston-Davies) got a great tune out of him.

“He’s come back and won today, let’s see where he goes from there.

“In fairness to Jordan (Gainford, jockey) at Cheltenham, he was possibly a bit intimidated by the new whip rules. He’s Jordan’s ride if Jack isn’t there and Davy retires. but I just think it possibly caught him out, but on the day at Cheltenham the best horse won, The Real Whacker is a very good horse.

“Every day is a learning day with him, he’s won eight out of nine now. I read somewhere today someone said he was unreliable, well I wouldn’t mind a few more unreliable types.

“The ground today was the same as Sandown, he doesn’t need it very soft.”

Nicholls was more than satisfied with Complete Unknown and expects him to be a stayer next term.

He said: “The track didn’t suit us that well and he was a bit flat out. But I loved the way he galloped all the way to the line. Races like the Welsh National and the Hennessy should be just the job for him next season.”

Pocket does the talking

Inthepocket landed another Grade 1 on the day for Ireland when Henry De Bromhead's Sky Bet Supreme fourth won the Poundland Top Novices' Hurdle for owner JP McManus.

The six-year-old cruised through the contest under Rachael Blackmore, who was happy to sit off the pace set by runaway leader Matata, before taking things up in the straight.

Kept up to his work with the race in the bag, Inthepocket won by a length and three quarters from the running-on Strong Leader who finished with a flourish.

Luccia was third for Nicky Henderson.

De Bromhead said: “The Supreme form looks very good, I’m delighted with that and I think that is our first Grade One winner for the McManus family so really happy with that.

“He warmed into it, he was a little bit slow over the first couple but he’s a horse we’ve always thought a lot of and it’s nice to see him go and prove it. I was a bit worried about coming back after Cheltenham, but it didn’t make a difference. He was really good. I imagine he’ll be going in a field now and then we’ll see. He’s obviously got good size and scope so we’ll see, there are no plans at the moment.”

He added: “I’m open minded about next year. There’s been some good novices this season. He won a nice race at Naas then it was a bit of a funny race at the Dublin Racing Festival before he ran a nice race at Cheltenham in the Supreme.

“But he’s growing up with every run. He’s got pace and he says, he’s a really exciting horse.”

Blackmore said:” I was always happy and if anything I got carried into it a bit too soon because it is a long way to the line from the back of the last. Dropping my stick didn’t help either, but we got away with it.”

Greatrex joy as Baxter wins Topham

Bill Baxter got Warren Greatrex back into the big-race winner’s enclosure with a determined victory over the Grand National fences in the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Chase.

While run over a distance some way short of the big one, the Topham traditionally gives jockeys a chance to get their eye in on the eve of the world’s most famous steeplechase.

Greatrex is no stranger to major success as the trainer of World Hurdle hero Cole Harden and multiple Grade One-winning mare La Bague Au Roi, but by his standards it has been a while between drinks for the Lambourn-based trainer, with his last graded-race success coming over three years ago.

Bill Baxter, the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies, was sent off at 20-1 after winning his last three completed starts over fences, with a January fall at Hereford sandwiched in between.

From the final fence it was a straight shootout between Greatrex’s grey and the Nicky Henderson-trained Fantastic Lady and it was Bill Baxter who finished best to prevail by a length and three-quarters.

Greatrex said: “This was the horse that was going to put our team on the map and I ride him every day. We had a plan a while back then he fell at Hereford, but I said if the rain came he had a great chance and thankfully it did. He gallops and jumps and we got Sam, who is always up for anything. Once over the first I knew the horse would adapt to the fences, and I knew turning in he would win. When you hit a low like we did it’s tough, but I have a great team and some nice young horses.”

More Sefton success for Russell

Apple Away stuck to her guns to provide trainer Lucinda Russell with a second victory in the last three renewals of the Winners Wear Cavani Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.

Ahoy Senor was a shock 66/1 winner of the three-mile Grade One two years ago for the Scottish trainer, but has since proved that was no fluke by establishing himself as a top-class staying chaser. Apple Away was not quite as big a price following recent triumphs in a handicap hurdle at Ayr and a Listed race at Doncaster, although she did face a steep rise in class and was a 16/1 shot to beat the boys.

Just as Ahoy Senor did in 2021, Apple Away set out to make all the running in the hands of Stephen Mulqueen and one by one saw off each of her challengers.

Donald McCain’s Maximilian emerged as the biggest threat after the final flight, but Apple Away never looked in real danger of being reeled in with her 7lb allowance and had a length and three-quarters in hand at the line. Iroko and Stay Away Fay, both winners at the Cheltenham Festival last month, finished third and fourth respectively.

Russell said: “I’m so delighted for Old Gold Racing (owners). When the micro-share syndicates were announced a lot of people thought they wouldn’t work, but results like this prove they do. I’m so pleased to see everyone. She’s just a relentless galloper. Scu (Peter Scudamore) was confident that she was good enough for this race because she’s such a relentless galloper – she only has one pace but she keeps it up.

“We might have had a couple get caught yesterday after leading over the last but that did not enter my mind today as I knew she’d keep going, she’s a three-miler. She’ll go chasing next season, if she takes to jumping the way she gallops, she could be quite exciting.”

She added: “There’s always something about a good mare, they get hold of your heart and she absolutely does. We knew she had a few pounds to find, but that 7lb allowance came in very handy. She’s got such tenacity and determination, she’s ideal for this race.”

More Festival glory for McConnell and Harvey

Fennor Cross had earlier lifted the William Hill Handicap Hurdle for Irish trainer John McConnell and 5lb claimer Ben Harvey.

The pair teamed up for Cheltenham Festival success last month with Seddon and hopes were high that Fennor Cross could also get the trainer off the mark at Aintree.

An 8/1 shot after finishing down the field in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on his latest start, the six-year-old was a commanding two-length winner on his return to handicap company, after which McConnell said: “It’s easy this game isn’t it!

“Cheltenham was a mess for this horse. We’d hoped to run him at Musselburgh, but he had a little issue which meant he didn’t get his fourth run in to qualify for the handicaps and the only race he was in was the Supreme. He wouldn’t have run a bad race in that but made a mess of the third-last and his race was over.

“We always felt going up in trip would suit him and it went really well. Ben gave him a beautiful ride. He handles most ground and has turned into a proper horse. I don’t know what the plan is because I think there’s unfinished business on the Flat as well.”

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