Aucunrisque battles to victory in the Betfair Hurdle
Betfair Hurdle report and replay: Aucunrisque strikes
By David Ord
16:40 · SAT February 11, 2023
Value Bet selection Aucunrisque edged out favourite Filey Bay after an epic duel for win the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
A 14/1 tip for Matt Brocklebank, Chris Gordon's charge returned 9/1 and led the strong-travelling market leader jumping the second last.
Filey Bay stepped at that obstacle and was never to overhaul the leader from that point, the pair racing wide apart and only a length separating them at the line.
It was a big moment for winning rider Nick Scholfield who had a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury.
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"I'm just very grateful, one to be here and to the Injured Jockeys' Fund and everyone who helped me while I've been off," he told ITV Racing.
"Some close friends supported me and I have to thank Chris Gordon and Goodwin Racing. I haven't been back that long so to give me a fancied ride in the Betfair Hurdle is massive and he's a pleasure to ride."
Gordon said of the winner, who spent the first half of the season novice chasing: “We’ll go for the Grand Annual with him now. He is a wonderful, tough, consistent horse. He gives me no issues. Like the other horse (in the race). They are wonderful, easy horses to train. This one is so consistent. It just makes life so much easier when they are straightforward, which he is. Let’s have a little crack at the Grand Annual and see how we go.”
“He is owned by the guv’nor (Julian Head, Goodwin Racing), who sponsors half my yard, so it is fantastic, so I will probably take him into the bar and try to sell him another horse. He has fallen for that too many times.
“This race meant a lot to me growing up. It was the old Schweppes Hurdle. I just always remember that Ryan Price thing (trained four of the first five winners). I always thought ‘those clever trainers’ – and I must hasten to add I’ve proved the whole philosophy wrong – those shrewd trainers won it and now I have. I thought my other horse would win, so I’ve proved that completely wrong.
“I went to Josh Gifford’s when I was 14 years old on work experience from my school. Because I was such a delinquent at school, they used to send me off on special escapades. So they sent me to Josh’s. That Ryan Price/Josh Gifford (was the jockey on all of Price’s winners) thing means it is a very important race to me,
“This ranks right up there on memorable days, especially with my son winning the earlier race. It is a special day, a really special day.”
He added: “We were going to go for the Lightning Chase at Doncaster, but I thought if I get lucky and go and win it, he might go up a couple of pounds. So I thought let’s have a go at a proper race and it has worked out.”
He quipped: “I told Nick to tuck in and let them make it, and burst through at the second-last. Maybe if he’d have done that, he might have won by 10 lengths!”
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