Haydock Saturday review including Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase

Famous Whittle win for Bridge

Nicky Richards might not be in a rush to test the credentials of Famous Bridge in the 2024 Randox Grand National at Aintree, however he hopes he can take aim at plenty more smart prizes this season following his tenacious success in the Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase.

The seven-year-old continued his progression over fences when defying a six pounds rise in the weights for his last time out course and distance success when calling on his stamina reserves to secure victory in the £50,000 feature prize.

For much of the home straight victory looked to be heading the way of mare Burrows Diamond who opened up a healthy advantage under Nick Scholfield heading down towards the final four fences in the extended three miles one furlong contest.

However as is so often the case in staying contests at the Merseyside track the complexion can change completely up the home straight and as Burrows Diamond petrol tank started to run on empty it saw Famous Bridge gain a second wind.

After jumping the last almost in unison Famous Bridge forged into the lead under Sean Quinlan, but the race was far from over as a determined Burrows Diamond attempted to mount a response.

However, despite the best efforts of Burrows Diamond it was not to be with Famous Bridge, carrying the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, sticking his neck when it mattered most before prevailing by a length to give Richards his first success in the race.

Richards said of the 5/2 winner: “He crept away and done it grand. Sean thought he was going to win from the second last. I don’t know if we would want to run him on that ground too many times as it is fairly gruelling.

“He is a youngish horse for a chasing horse, and I think he is on the up, but you don’t want to keep putting the gun to their head on that ground. He is a young horse, and he has not had a lot of mileage. He is improving and hopefully I want to keep seeing improvement as the handicapper is going to make sure we need to improve.

“He got the six pounds for winning last time, so I’m probably right in that he is improving a little bit. We know he is going to come (through near the end) as he likes to get in a battle and he is the type of horse that is hard to beat when he gets in one. It was fairly hard work that ground. A bit of soft ground would be grand.”

Although Famous Bridge was given a quote of 25/1 for the Grand National by William Hill the Greystoke handler insisted that he has other targets on his mind away from Aintree.

He added: “He won’t go up enough in the weights for the National this time. We’ve got thoughts. I don’t think we want to go extreme distances on gruelling ground yet.

“He has won two nice races now and something like the Grimthorpe we could go for. Mick (Meagher, racing manager to Hemmings Racing) would love to come back for the Peter Marsh, but I don’t know if he wants to be on that ground all the time.”

Pawapuri impresses under Bowen

James Bowen kick started what could be a Christmas to remember in fine fashion after warming up for his big race ride aboard Jango Baie on Boxing Day with a ready success on his stablemate Pawapuri in the Betfred Hat-Trick Heaven Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The Welsh rider will bid for a breakthrough Grade One success on Jango Baie in the William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on December 26th, however it was Pawapuri who took centre stage on this occasion after scooping the biggest pot of her career in the Listed contest.

After finishing fourth in last season’s Grade Two Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park before coming home ninth in the Grade One Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree the Golden Horn filly made the most of a drop in class to get off the mark at Wincanton last time out.

Despite having her stamina to prove over the two-mile three furlong trip the 6/1 chance was not for relenting under Bowen after the pair moved on past long-time leader Alfie’s Princess jumping the second last.

Although the hat-trick seeking Lunar Discovery tried to hunt Pawapuri down after the last her efforts fell just short with Bowen steering his mount to glory by two lengths to complete a quick-fire double at the Merseyside track for both Bowen and winning trainer Nicky Henderson.

Bowen said: “She jumped well. She missed a couple on the way round when I forced her, but she stayed on well. It was her first time over two miles three (furlongs) and in the back of my head going down to the last I thought we’ve got another 300 yards left, but she finished well in the end.

“She just had a look at the last, and it took me about 50 yards to get away from it. After that she got going again. I felt if a horse came to her she would have got going again. She has learnt loads doing that (running in good races last season) and she is a better mare this time around.

“She is a big mare, and it wasn’t really the right time for her last season. She has got her black type now so they can have fun.

“Hopefully, Boxing Day will be a big day. I’ve never had a Grade One winner. I’ve finished third in one on Top Notch, but that is as near as I have got. This will be one of the best chances I’ve ridden in a Grade One.

“Jingo Baie is a sharp horse and is a proper two miler at the moment. He was keen the last day, but there are plenty of runners and hopefully he can switch off and hopefully they will go a good gallop. He is a nice horse.”

El Jefe strikes again

Andrew Hamilton might only have four horses in training but he showed he can mix it with the best of them after El Jefe maintained the triumphant trainer’s good strike rate at Haydock Park on Saturday when completing a hat-trick of victories for the season.

Arriving on the back of a brace of wins at Sedgefield the Born To Sea gelding added to the successes after giving winning rider Conor Rabbitt his first success at the track in the Betfred Nifty 50 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Moving stylishly into contention the 15/2 chance breezed past 11/4 favourite Lord Of Cheshire before being kept up to his work to score by three lengths to give Hamilton his third winner from just eight runners at the track.

Hamilton said: “Last year we won the Last Fling (Handicap Chase) with All About Joe, but we lost him in the summer. It is nice to come back to Haydock Park and get another good winner.

“Last season he never lifted the bridle at all, and I could not find the bottom of it. He has come back this season looking like a new horse. He loves life and that was fantastic. I was glad to see so much rain, because he loves the mud, and he was getting a lot of weight from the other horses. To be fair to him he just stayed on and kept galloping.

“He (Conor Rabbitt) looked very confident. The only thing is he never finds a lot, but he will keep galloping. I’m delighted. The two races he won (before this) he won well, and he had a good bit of form with one of Lucinda’s (Russell) horses at Kelso and since that he has just got better. As long as it was soft I was happy enough.”

Winning with Authority

Issuing Authority might not be among tHenderson’s A team at Seven Barrows however he proved a cut above his two rivals when handling the testing conditions best of them all in the Betfred TV Beginners’ Chase.

After finishing a satisfactory fourth on his debut over fences at Exeter last month the gelded son of Flemensfirth built on that experience in the extended two-mile test which the 7/4 chance claimed by 15 lengths.

Bowen said: “It is hard work out there as it is as deep as you can get. I barely got over the last to be honest with you.

“I knew he would have come on for his last run. He jumped really well that day, and we stepped him back down to an extended two miles today on this ground. I think that suited him as he is a strong traveller and a good jumper.

“Over hurdles he probably needed two and a half miles, but over fences as his jumping is so good you can keep him over two miles.

“I think so (that there could be a good handicap for him) as he is a good jumper, and he was always going to be better over a fence. Hopefully he can keep progressing now.”

Members of the Flying High syndicate saw their Christmas come early after The Churchill Lad galloped his rivals into submission under an enterprising ride from Ross Chapman in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap Hurdle.

Racing off into a wide margin lead during the opening stages of the extended one mile seven furlong prize the 9/1 chance went one better than last time out at Musselburgh after staying at the head of affairs throughout the race before running out a four and a half-length winner.

However, although connections were left in high spirits following the Churchill gelding’s success an appearance at the Merseyside venue nearly didn’t happen for the Rebecca Menzies-owned four-year-old according to his joint owners.

Steve Jones, of joint owners Flying High, said: “He did this at Musselburgh last time, but he then got caught late on. I thought he could win this today, even though he was the outsider of the six runners.

“He has just grown up in the last year. He has switched on now and we are chuffed with him. That’s helped pay for part of his season.

“We were going to pull him from today and go to Wetherby on Boxing Day as we thought there might be a few too many good ones in this, but a few dropped out and here we are.

“He only went up a pound for his last run, but he is still not up to his highest mark of last season as he got up to 118. He nearly got to Cheltenham last season, but he was balloted out.

“He has won three times now and we can afford a drink tonight.”

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