A review of the action and free video replays from Tuesday's meeting at Huntingdon.
O'Brien dreaming of Festival glory
Fergal O’Brien is yet to train a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, however he believes Dysart Enos could be the horse to change that statistic after making the perfect introduction to hurdles .
After rattling up a hat-trick of bumper wins culminating in the Grade Two Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Aintree the five-year-old had little trouble in accounting for her rivals in the RhinoBet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Sent off the 1/7 favourite to make her hurdling bow a winning one the Malinas mare breezed through the race before taking up the lead during the closing stages of the two-mile test.
Despite giving the last hurdle plenty of air it failed to halt the momentum of the odds-on favourite, who proved seven and a half lengths too strong for runner-up Parkin Fine.
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O’Brien said: “It is a relief, but I’m more relieved to see her go around and do it the way we thought she would do it. She has been working really well. I said to Paddy (Brennan) that she has not been as straightforward this season as she was last season as she has had the odd bug. Last season she just ran and ran and she was so straightforward.
“She has been great at home and the last few weeks she has been flying. Big credit goes to Tom Broughton who rides her most days. She is not easy, and you have to keep a lid on her.
“Her schooling has been good. Sometimes she is a bit too brave, but I’m glad to get today out of the way. The hurdles helped her as Paddy said she was a bit keen in between her hurdles and she will have learnt a lot today.”
Following the race Dysart Enos was left unchanged at 7/1 for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival by both Paddy Power and Betfair.
However, before an appearance at the Festival materialises Dysart Enos will head to Newbury on December 2nd for the Listed Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” For Free Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
O’Brien added: “We will roll on to Newbury now in the Listed race and then we will take it from there. This was always the plan. She was in a couple of races before that were either called off, or she wasn’t right, but the plan was to come here then go to Newbury.
“I don’t want to think that far ahead, but I’ve made no secret of the mares’ novices’ hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival being the aim. She is very exciting. We had a Cap Soleil that got beat at Newbury, then won a Listed race at Haydock Park and she was second behind Laurina at the Festival in that race.
“I think she would be another level up on her as she has a bit more speed.”
Popular win for Crosspark
Former Eider Chase hero and Scottish Grand National runner-up Crosspark received a warm reception from the crowd after securing his first success in more than four years with victory in the Racing TV Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Without a win to his name since claiming Eider Chase glory at Newcastle in February 2019 the popular 13-year-old showed he still has plenty of enthusiasm despite being in the twilight of his career in the extended two-mile seven-furlong contest.
Sent straight into the lead by Charlie Hammond the Nick Kent-trained Midnight Legend gelding was not to be denied career success number seven under rules with the pair repelling Special Acceptance by a length and a quarter.
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Kent said of the 15/2 winner: “He loved it out there. The drop in grade has helped him, but I didn’t think this track would suit him.
“Everything had gone swimmingly training wise and he had no setbacks in the lead up. As everything had gone right we thought we would just give it a go. He is an Eider Chase winner, and he was second in a Scottish National, but the handicapper kept at him.
“We ran him in the final of the Veterans’ series at Sandown earlier this year but he didn’t have the legs for that so that is why we dropped back hunter chasing last season. He comes out every morning moving like a young horse. He is very easy to train.”
Among those on hand to congratulate Crosspark following his latest success was his former trainer Caroline Bailey.
She added: “I’m thrilled for the horse and Nick. He has looked after him brilliantly since he left me. The handicapper had given him a chance here but he jumps for fun.
“I’ve been to watch him in virtually every race since I retired and Nick’s yard have been great in keeping in touch with me telling me how he is.
“These veterans races give horses like him a chance. The public loved seeing him win and he got a great cheer.”
Goose Man defies absence
The silks of owners Jim and Fitri Hay are more associated with big race Flat successes, however their colours were carried to a rare victory over jumps after Goose Man defied a 972-day absence in the RhinoBet Selling Hurdle.
Making his first start for Jamie Snowden since switching Tom Taaffe the 11-year-old son of Gold Well, who was last sighted winning a three and a quarter mile chase at Down Royal in March 2021, made all before claiming an 11 length success.
A good crowd gathered around the winner’s enclosure following the conclusion of the two mile prize to watch the auction, which after a battle with fellow trainer Neil Mulholland saw Goose Man brought back in by his current connections for £11,500.
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Snowden said of the 5/1 winner: “He had done plenty of work, but he had done two tendons and he had more than two years off. He is a talented individual, but a fragile one. We will get him back and take it day by day with him. This was a nice race to bring him back in.
“He will probably go back over fences as he is a proper chaser and his last win before this was over three and a quarter miles at Down Royal. With all the issues he has had it was nice to get his confidence back up and this is the first winner I’ve had for Jim and Fitri Hay.”
Double delight for Twiston-Davies team
Nigel Twiston-Davies praised the decision making skills of long serving owner Fred Mills after Moveit Like Minnie scooped the biggest pot of his career in the RhinoBet Michaelmas Handicap Hurdle.
Appearing to appreciate the drop back to two miles at Ludlow last time out the Libertarian gelding followed up that success over the same trip when making it two wins from four appearances at the Cambridgeshire track with a four-length success under Sam Twiston-Davies.
The winning trainer said: “We learnt he needs two miles. He was always fading at the last over further and he doesn’t anymore. That was brilliant and we are chuffed to bits. The owner said we are getting something wrong and that we needed to go shorter and he was absolutely right.
“We will be sensible and look around. The reason we are here is because of the prizemoney. I hope we can put him in a good handicap hurdle at some point.
“He does need better ground and the Betfair Hurdle is usually on softer ground, but we will look at a better handicap now.”
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Following the race Twiston-Davies issued an upbeat report on Torn And Frayed, who will bid to give the Naunton handler a fifth win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Twiston-Davies said: “Torn And Frayed is in great form. He has jumped well in schooling and everything is fine with him. We’ve won it quite a few times and hopefully we can do it again. It is big race to comeback in after such a long break, but there is no point going back up the handicap before it. There wasn’t enough time to potentially give him a spin over hurdles beforehand either.
“It was frustrating having him out, but he is back and in good form.”
Bumper winner up for sale
There was further success for the Twiston-Davies father and son team after Dameofthecotswolds enhanced her sale value when flooring 6/4 favourite Love Tree by two- and three-quarter lengths in the RhinoBet Fillies’ “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race.
The winning trainer, who also owns the three-year-old, said: “This one is very much for sale. She ran very green last time which was surprising as she is so straightforward at home. Today she was much better.
“She stayed with the favourite, who beat her last time, and then went away when she was asked to. We will probably look at some of those junior hurdle races now as she jumps beautifully.”
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Regarde firmly on track
Jamie Snowden believes that things are ‘beginning to click’ for Regarde, who completed doubles for both the Lambourn handler and winning jockey Gavin Sheehan when running out a two- and three-quarter length winner of the RhinoBet Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Snowden said of the 8/11 favourite: “The drop back in two and a half miles from three miles was a slight concern. He jumped really well, and he probably jumped better than last time. Hopefully things are beginning to click.
“I think we will go back up in trip as we got away with it here. He went up six pounds for his last win and he will go up again in the weights so we will have to go up in class. Fingers crossed he can cope with it.”
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