Lucky Place, ridden by Nico de Boinville, wins at Cheltenham
Lucky Place, ridden by Nico de Boinville, wins at Cheltenham

Lucky Place won the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham | report and replay


An intriguing renewal of the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle went the way of Lucky Place (3/1) who was completing a double at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville.

Fourth in the Coral Cup last March, Lucky Place returned to action with a career best in the Ascot Hurdle in November in which Golden Ace was only fourth (beaten two lengths) after an interrupted preparation.

The mare was well backed to turn the tables with a swing in the weights and that run under her belt. Golden Ace moved smoothly through the field from last place to take third behind Gowel Road and Lucky Place who had been prominent throughout approaching the last.

Salver was just about in contention when taking a nasty fall at that flight after being switched for daylight off the bend leaving Golden Ace as the only threat to the front two but her run rather flattened out.

Gowel Road stuck to his guns but was always being held by his progressive rival whose winning margin was three parts of a length.

Golden Ace was four lengths back in third with Thunder Rock fourth and last year's Coral Cup winner Langer Dan last of the five finishes having briefly threatened better.

Lucky Place is 14/1 from 20/1 for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March with the sponsors.

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A beaming Henderson said: "You won't find a more likeable person in the world, he's just a star. The kind of horse who is very, very hard to find, he's lovely. He wants to do it, he wants to jump, he wants to play, he's as honest as you can get.

"Sometimes you think he sort of creeps under the radar a little bit because he's a straightforward, honest person; he's not flashy but he gets it done. I think stamina is his natural strength so we'll probably play to that.

“We popped him into the Coral Cup last season as he was not a Grade One horse at the time and he came into that and ran a great race. He was one of a few of them that stood up for us that week.

“He has been very consistent and his temperament is faultless. He has come on from last season and he has now won two nice races.

“I was going to go novice chasing with him, but there were no opportunities for him this season, but he will be doing that next season.

“I think the Stayers’ Hurdle is what we have been building up to. I was thinking of the Long Walk Hurdle, but this was really always the plan. Stamina has won it for him.

“You would say the obvious thing to do is step him up in trip before then and the Cleeve Hurdle could be the answer to that and we could find out there if he stays.”

Chantry House returns to form under Nico de Boinville
Click on the image of Chantry House for the Cheltenham review


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