Tag Archive for: Betfair Bowl

Ahoy Senor heading to Aintree if all goes to plan

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Ahoy Senor will head to the Bowl at Aintree should he get over his Cheltenham Gold Cup fall.

The Lucinda Russell-trained eight-year-old was among the top British novice chasers last season, and signed off with a clear-cut win in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree, where he defeated the likes of Grade One winner L’Homme Presse and subsequent King George VI Chase hero Bravemansgame.

Though having found life tougher this term, he bounced back after a disappointing King George run to land the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Friday’s return to Prestbury Park was going well as he was full of running when leading the Gold Cup field to five fences from home under Derek Fox, where he got in too close and had a heavy fall.

However, Russell’s assistant and partner, eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore, said he is none the worse for the tumble.

“He’s a bit sorry for himself. He’s sound and everything. He is that type of horse. I think he feels almost embarrassed he fell, but he’s well and a couple of days and he’ll be over it. There are no physical issues,” said Scudamore.

“He ran really well. He will probably go to Aintree, God willing. He has got four weeks, so if he can recover from that, he’ll run.

“We’d always felt we’d go to Aintree with him after this. He’s got a week of quiet and a probably a fortnight working, then another quiet week before his race.

“The extra week between the two meetings this year will certainly be a help.”

The defeat was a bitter blow following the high of Corach Rambler taking the Ultima Handicap Chase for a second consecutive year for the yard.

Corach Rambler and Derek Fox on their way to winning the Ultima for a second time
Corach Rambler and Derek Fox on their way to winning the Ultima for a second time (Mike Egerton/PA)

Though the nine-year-old had a hard race in defeating Fastorslow by a neck and scoring for the fourth time in nine attempts over fences, he is still on course for the Randox Grand National on April 15, for which he is as short as 6-1 favourite.

Speaking from Carlisle on Sunday, Scudamore added: “Corach has lost a bit of weight, but I haven’t ridden him yet.

“I spoke to him last night and he’s very pleased with himself. It’s still the Grand National all being well.”

Clan Des Obeaux on course to defend Aintree title

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Dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux is making good progress from a suspensory tendon injury, leaving trainer Paul Nicholls “very pleased” as he builds up to a return at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

The 11-year-old, owned by Paul Barber, Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson, is being aimed at the Betway Bowl on April 13.

The five-time Grade One winner was last seen finishing second to Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup in April.

Nicholls is expected to give him a racecourse gallop ahead of his return, providing the ground eases sufficiently.

He said: “Clan Des Obeaux has been coming on beautifully. He has been doing a lot of work and the plan is to go straight to Aintree.

“I’m very pleased with him. It was touch and go at Christmas as to whether we’d carry on, but he’s done a lot of work and he’s been fine.

“He has improved enormously. We are not wrapping him in cotton wool – he has got to be ready.

“He’d have run at Newbury, but he skipped that and he will go to Wincanton one day on some good ground. It has been so fast.

“We will get a nice gallop into him and then go to Aintree.”

Clan Des Obeaux will bid to add to his haul of over £1million in prize-money in the Grade One race he won in 2021 and 2022.

Nicholls added: “We are going to have a huge team at Aintree. It is just the way it works out with some of the horses we’ve got.

“And I love Aintree as much as I love Cheltenham – it is a great meeting. It is not ducking and diving from Cheltenham – if we have horses good enough, we’ll be there. It will be the same with Aintree.”