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Aintree next for winning Cat

Charisma Cat set up a potential trip to the Randox Grand National meeting at Aintree next month after atoning for her last time out defeat in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

The daughter of Nathaniel surrendered her unbeaten record when getting going all too late in a Listed contest at Market Rasen on her last start, however she was not to be denied at the same level on this occasion.

Weaving her way through rivals up the home straight in the two mile prize the well supported 7/4 favourite was not for catching when sent on by Tom Cannon with the pair passing the post with a length and three quarters to spare.

King said: “She didn’t seem to handle the bends very well, but she has come back on the bridle. She wouldn’t want this ground as it is hard work on the hurdle track. I said to Robert (Waley-Cohen, part owner) that if it wasn’t a Listed race we wouldn’t have run and that we would have waited for Aintree, but we have got away with it. We all felt the one at Market Rasen was one that got away, but she didn’t handle the track at all. She got shuffled well back, but she would have won in another couple of strides.

“We made up for it today, and we got a win, and some black type. If we are happy she will go to Aintree. We had her in half way through last season, but she didn’t debut until June at Southwell and she then had a late break. We have always loved her and she has got a great pedigree. I would love a yard full of them by Nathaniel.”

Smoke books return trip

Dan Skelton is often a man with a plan and he wasted no time in identifying a return to the track on the final day of the season for the bet365 Gold Cup for Hoe Joly Smoke following his victory in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase.

The seven year old looked progressive until tasting defeat on his latest start at Newbury, but the Black Sam Bellamy gelding bounced back from the effort when benefitting from a patient ride under Harry Skelton. Looking the likely winner turning up to face the final two fences the 9/4 favourite was forced to pull out all the stops to see off Java Point by a neck, with the ultra popular Goshen a further half a length adrift in third.

The winning trainer said: “If you watch him when he won here in December on the Friday of the Tingle Creek meeting Harry (Skelton) rode him similarly that day. You can’t hit the front too soon on him. I think the faster run race, the better it is for him.

“I think everything about the bet365 Gold Cup will suit him. Harry got off and said go for the Scottish National, but I wouldn’t want to go to Ayr and not run well at a track like that when we have got two weeks until here where we know the track really suits him.

“Ever since he got beat at Newbury I’ve had this race on my mind. I like coming back to the scene of victories.”

Longsdon never worried during Order win

There might have been plenty in the stands that thought New Order had thrown away victory in the Betfair Exchange Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, however trainer Charlie Longsdon wasn’t one of them.

Although pressing on between the final two fences the 7/1 chance decided to veer sharply to his left to allow eventual runner-up Coco Mademoiselle a sniff of victory on the climb to the line in the two and a half mile test.

However, once straightened up by David Bass the seven year old asserted once again before going on to score by a length and three quarters to set up a potential return to the track on the final day of the campaign.

Longsdon said: “That is normal for him. If you look at all of his novice hurdles he did the same. If had company at the last he would have been straight. If you think he is going to go left he will go right and if you think he will go right he will go left so there is no real rhyme or reason, but he has done his job and that is the main thing.

“At Newbury when he was beaten he was dropped in behind over three miles and he could never get into a rhythm and jumping is his forte. He was just stop start and we drew a line through that. I tell you what I would do with him is come back here on the last day of the season for the two and a half mile novices’ handicap chase. I think we had to win today to warrant that.”

Snowden's dramatic journey proves worthwhile

Jamie Snowden admitted his tyre changing skills would not pass an F1 test after suffering a blowout on the M3, but Laurens Bay ensured his late entrance at Sandown Park was made worthwhile when coming from the clouds to regain the winning thread.

Following a disastrous journey to the Esher track the Lambourn handler looked like his day was going to go from bad to worse when the Youmzain gelding appeared to be fighting a losing battle in the European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final.

However, in scenes reminiscent of Hewick’s success, under winning rider Gavin Sheehan, in the 2023 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase the 33-1 chance came from another parish up the run in having looked likely to be pulled up before the second last.

It looked as though the £80,000 contest was going to go the way of either eventual runner-up Off The Jury or Meetmebythesea following a titanic tussle after the last, but both had no answers to Laurens Bay, who swept past both to score by a neck.

Snowden said: “We had a blowout on the passenger side rear tyre on the M3 in the Discovery. We left enough time to get here, but we didn’t account for that happening. There I was fairly dusty and sweaty getting the tyre changed. Put it this way I would not pass an F1 test! It was a bit of a nightmare journey, but it was a great result and that is all that matters.

“We had the race on in the car. It wasn’t exactly the plan to be where we were, but he is a horse that does stay well, but he wants soft ground. We ran him at Ascot in January time to qualify and the ground was good and he was completely taken off his feet around Ascot on good ground.

“Today, I was worried the ground was drying so the plan was to go forward, but Gav couldn’t go forward. He humoured him around and he hit the hill on the slightly softer ground and stayed on brilliantly.

“That has been our plan all along. We will enjoy today and he certainly wants softer ground so if the spring stays around he will be in the field before long. He will be a lovely chaser for next year.”

Narragansett sets Mulholland up for big week

Neil Mulholland warmed up for the Cheltenham Festival in perfect fashion after Narragansett demonstrated a commendable attitude to land the Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Having got off the mark over hurdles with a front running success at Plumpton last time out, the gelded son of Inns Of Court doubled his tally over jumps when knuckling down to the task well late on in the two mile test. Victory looked to be heading the way of Galactic Charm, who having disputed the lead for much of the race with Lucky Bere, was sent into a clear advantage as the field crossed the penultimate flight.

However, after putting in a good jump at the last the 85-40 favourite soon found plenty of momentum behind him to reel in Galactic Charm in the closing strides before going on to secure victory by three quarters of a length.

Mulholland said: “He ran well first time out at Market Rasen and he maybe ran a bit too keen the second time out at Wetherby. We tried to hold on to him a bit today, but he did it well. That was just his fourth race and he has done very little wrong.

“He has now had two seconds and two wins so he is going the right way. I know he needed a good jump at the last, but thankfully he got it. I was happy enough how he got there. There was no real pace, but we thought we were the best horse in the race and he did what he had to do. Today we wanted to hold on to him a bit to get up the hill and that is what he did as he galloped all the way.”

And while Mulholland has the likes of Transmission to look forward to in the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Festival, he ruled Narragansett out of a quick turnaround at the meeting in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

He added: “He wouldn’t be good enough for the Triumph Hurdle. We will look at Ayr or Aintree or something like that. There is also a nice race at Ascot as well.”

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