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Bailey thrilled as Trelawne comes of age

Kim Bailey was thrilled to see Trelawne come of age after prevailing in a thrilling tussle with Iroko in the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase at Haydock.

The Andoversford handler has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds Trelawne, who was last seen suffering a heavy early fall as a leading fancy for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, a race won by his stablemate Chianti Classico.

While Bailey revealed his eight-year-old’s confidence was knocked by that spill, there was no sign of it on Merseyside as he travelled and jumped with elan on the front end under Tom Bailey.

Jonjo O’Neill jnr attempted to play his cards late aboard the similarly promising 11-8 favourite Iroko, who drew alongside 7/2 shot Trelawne on the run-in, but the latter refused to yield and passed the post half a length to the good.

“I was delighted with him, we’ve been praying for the rain for a long time. Yes we’ve had our issues, but he’s a very talented individual and he was a grown up horse today,” said Bailey. “He’s always had the talent and I just think he’s that year older. That fall at Cheltenham frightened him and he was a very sore horse for a long time afterwards, so we gave him a long time to get over it and I just feel he’s come back a different horse from the summer.

“He’s worked well and done everything right. He went to Cheltenham with a great chance, I hated having two runners in the race and when this horse fell I’m afraid I didn’t see the other horse do a whole circuit as I was watching him. I love him.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “This horse has to have soft ground and there’s a big race in him somewhere along the way.

“I think the Cotswold Chase (at Cheltenham in January) would suit him really well, but we’ve got a long way to go yet. He was only rated 144 today, the handicapper will have a few words to say after today, but he’s a progressive horse. He’s got a few quirks, but that’s why he’s a good horse.”

First leads them home

Shoot First ploughed through the Haydock mud to ensure the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle went to Ireland for the second year in succession.

While the Emmet Mullins-trained Slate Lane delighted favourite backers in the £100,000 contest 12 months ago, Shoot First was actually a big drifter in the market for Charlies Byrnes, eventually going off a 22/1 shot in the hands of 5lb claimer Alex Harvey having been a single-figure price overnight.

In a race run in deteriorating conditions, Harvey elected to take his time during the early stages of the extended three-mile contest before bustling his mount into contention at the top of the straight.He took over the lead from Phantomofthepoints at the third flight from the finish, after which the 11-4 favourite One Big Bang emerged as his biggest threat.

But try as he might, the market leader could never quite get on terms with Shoot First, who boxed on tenaciously to win the day by two and three-quarter lengths.

The winner had finished fifth on his most recent outing at Galway last month after being off the track for two years and clearly improved for the outing, much to the delight of his young rider.

“He ran great in Galway after a two-year break. He jumped and travelled there today, but he’s still a big raw baby and pricked his ears when he hit the front. I think stepping up in grade he’s going to be even better, so he’s an exciting horse and will jump a fence in the future,” said the 21-year-old.

“It was a proper test, it was his first time on soft ground and he relished it, so it’s great. Charles is very good at placing his horses and we could see him in March (at Cheltenham) given he won there two years ago. I’ve had a couple of winners in Kelso for John McConnell, who I’m based with six days a week, so I make the odd trip over and it’s great when it all works out like today. This is the biggest winner of my career so far and I’m delighted.”

O'Neill excited by Roadlesstravelled

Roadlesstravelled looks an exciting prospect for Jonjo and AJ O’Neill to go to war with judged on an all-the-way victory in the Betfair Supports Safer Gambling Week Newton Novices’ Hurdle.

The five-year-old cost his connections a pretty penny at £215,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point in May of last year, but he has made a fine start under rules after 17 months off the track.

After following up a successful hurdling debut at Market Rasen with a dominant victory at Wetherby three weeks ago, Roadlesstravelled was a 7/4 favourite to complete his hat-trick at Grade Two level and was soon bowling along in front in the hands of Jonjo O’Neill Jnr.

Harry Skelton and Country Mile was the only one able to go with the leader in the home straight and already looked to be coming off second-best when making a mistake at the final obstacle.

The result was never in doubt thereafter, with Roadlesstravelled finding plenty on the run-in to score by three lengths.

While keen not to get carried away, there was a glint in his trainer’s eye afterwards, as he said: “He’s in good form and likes the good ground. We’ll let him do the talking really, but he’s a nice horse to have.

“He jumped OK, but I think he’d be a bit slicker on good ground. Personally I think he’ll get further, but he’s doing alright at two miles, so we’ll keep him at that for now.

“If you were to sit on him on Monday morning you’d know you were sitting on something as he’s fairly lively, but he’s a great horse with a good attitude and just loves life.”

Paddy Power and Betfair introduced Roadlesstravelled into their Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle market at 40/1, but O’Neill is in no rush to make firm plans, adding: “Let’s see how we go, I would say we’ll miss the heavy ground over the winter and bring him back after that. I wouldn’t mind looking at a Betfair Hurdle, but he’d have to have another run in between, so we’ll see what the weather does.”

Rest of the action

In deteriorating conditions, Dr T J Eckleburg was a 14/1 winner of the Bet At Your Best With Betfair Handicap Chase for Evan Williams and Conor Ring, while Steel Ally continued the good recent run of trainer Sam Thomas and jockey Dylan Johnston in the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle.

The latter was a 6/1 shot off the back of finishing second to stablemate Lump Sum in the Welsh Champion Hurdle and displayed a willing attitude to see off the challenge of Beat The Bat by three lengths.

“He’s a nice horse who was on a career-high mark and stepping up in trip. The whole way here I was wary of the rain falling, but he dug in and did it well. He’ll be better on nicer ground,” said Johnston.

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