Tag Archive for: Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle

Brewin’upatstorm regains National Spirit crown

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Brewin’upastorm survived a scare at the final flight to continue his love affair with the Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.

Olly Murphy’s stable stalwart won the Grade Two contest in 2021 before finishing a head second to Botox Has 12 months ago, but showed real guts to regain his crown in the Sussex track’s feature contest.

Given a wind operation since disappointing in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day, Aidan Coleman was content to bide his time as Goshen cut loose on the front end in the hands of Jamie Moore.

Gary Moore’s enigmatic seven-year-old was the focal point for the majority of the contest as, out on his own, his tendency to jink right came back to haunt him. But, by the time the quintet taking part reached the final bend with two to jump, the pack had swarmed on Goshen and Brewin’upastorm in particular was travelling menacingly in the hands of Coleman.

Hitting the front after the second last, Coleman sent the 10-year-old for home and the 7-2 chance proved a willing ally – pulling out more when challenged by Sceau Royal in the closing stages having briefly opened the door to Alan King’s veteran when having his momentum checked by a blunder at the last.

“That was brilliant,” said Murphy. “He’s a horse who has always had a lot of ability and I’ve kind of always stressed when he is good, he is very good.

“He was clearly on a going day today after coming back from a little break following a wind operation and it is great to win the race for a second time. He’s an absolute star.

“We were tight time-wise (to get to the race) but when these horses get a little bit older, you get to know them a bit better and the older they get, they probably don’t need as much graft. He was ready today and maybe he’s better off being a gallop short these days than one too many.

“It was a messy old race to watch. He had the door shut turning in and then walked through the last. But he’s a horse with an awful lot of ability who likes to make you sweat as well. He doesn’t make life easy for himself but he’s got a big engine and when he’s good, he’s good.

“He’s unlucky not to be three from three in the race, but we’re chuffed to win it again and we’ll enjoy celebrating.”

Murphy was denied a double on the card when Ben Pauling’s 11-8 favourite Quinta Do Mar edged out Grandads Cottage to take the Download The Betgoodwin App Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase by a length.

Quinta Do Mar, here winning over hurdles at Market Rasen, is now unbeaten in three runs at Fontwell
Quinta Do Mar, here winning over hurdles at Market Rasen, is now unbeaten in three runs at Fontwell (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It was very pleasing and the application of cheekpieces saw him right back to his best I think,” said Pauling – whose eight-year-old enhanced his fine unbeaten record at Fontwell.

“He travelled very well, jumped better for them and ultimately won quite nicely and it’s pleasing to see him get off the mark over fences.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what track it is down there, he does seem to like Fontwell, but I think he’s just been in good form every time he has gone there and the cheekpieces are what made the difference. I was pleased to see them work the way I thought they would.”

There was a double on the card for Chris Gordon and jockey Tom Cannon, who linked up to win the Free Bet Nose Losers At Betgoodwin ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle with Goodwin Racing (4-1), before Goodwin (100-30) claimed the concluding Benedict Cox Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race in good style.

Moore eyeing National Spirit hat-trick with Goshen

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Goshen has been tasked with helping Gary Moore win a third Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday.

The Moore family first won the Grade Two contest at one of their local tracks in 2017 with Camping Ground and added to their tally 12 months ago when the now-retired Joshua Moore partnered his father’s Botox Has to a game success over race regular Brewin’upastorm.

Now it is the turn of their stable stalwart to uphold family honour, while Jamie Moore will have the chance to write his name on the roll of honour.

The unseasonal dry spell means conditions will once again be against the ever-popular seven-year-old, who also has to tackle his old nemesis of racing left-handed. But encouragement is taken from two high-quality hurdling appearances this term, which are sandwiched by a pair of lacklustre outings over the larger obstacles.

He surged clear of the reopposing Brewin’upastorm to record an eight-and-a-half-length victory in the Ascot Hurdle in November before backing it up with a strong second behind Paisley Park in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle on Boxing Day and his handler believes Goshen deserves plenty of credit for the way he has acquitted himself, despite being yet to race on his favoured ground.

“He’s had a brilliant year. He’s done really well and on not one day has he had the ground in his favour yet,” said Moore.

“The trip will be fine for him. It’s the wrong way round, but there’s just not that many options for him. He’s in the long-distance hurdle race at Cheltenham, but I feel that’s a waste of time.

“There’s no point leaving him in the stable and there’s not that many runners either so he has got to take his chance.”

Knappers Hill, here winning at Sandown, attempts to get back to winning ways in the Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle
Knappers Hill, here winning at Sandown, attempts to get back to winning ways in the Betgoodwin National Spirit Hurdle (Nigel French/PA)

Sceau Royal returns to hurdles having failed to feature in the Dublin Chase earlier this month and he will be looking to reverse Elite Hurdle form with Knappers Hill, who was two and a half lengths clear of Alan King’s consistent veteran when they met at Wincanton earlier in the campaign.

Paul Nicholls’ charge has seen his form slightly tail off since his early-season heroics, but is proven over this trip and hails from a yard that is always well represented in this £80,000 contest.

Brewin’upastorm won this in 2021 before going down by just a head when defending his crown last year and Olly Murphy will be hoping his 10-year-old enjoys the tight turns of the Sussex track for a third time.

“He’s come back from a severe wind operation but seems in good form and galloped well this week,” said the Warren Chase handler.

“He will just improve for whatever he does at Fontwell as it’s been a bit of a tight squeeze to get him ready for this race, but we’re looking forward to running him and if he comes back to his old self, there’s no reason why he can’t run really well.

“He probably should be two from two in the race, he was unlucky in it last year and we’re looking forward to running him in the race again.”

The select quintet going to post is rounded off by Dan Skelton’s Proschema, who was a clear-cut winner of the West Yorkshire Hurdle in the autumn, but was pulled up on his next start in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle.