Tag Archive for: Wetherby

Impulsive One another winner for in-form Souede and Munir colours

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Daryl Jacob delivered Impulsive One with a perfectly-timed run to win the Frank Dawn 90th Birthday Celebration Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby.

Jacob and his bosses, owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, have been enjoying a fine season with the likes of El Fabiolo and Blue Lord with Willie Mullins in Ireland, but they are still having a steady stream of winners in the UK.

Old favourite Messire Des Obeaux was another to benefit from a well-judged Jacob ride at Warwick on Saturday and Nicky Henderson’s Impulsive One (6-1) relished the longer trip, getting up deep inside the final furlong to beat pace-setting Progressive by a head.

“He picked up well. It was a middling race and we went no gallop, I was hoping today we’d go a good pace but we went no gallop,” said Jacob.

“You have to ride him that way, be patient and deliver him as late as possible.

“I missed the last but fair play to him, he picked up well.”

Another ride worthy of note was that of Patrick Cowley who made all the running on Whistleinthedark (evens) in the Racing TV In Stunning HD Novices’ Chase.

A promising type for Laura Morgan, he looked in control for much of the race – bar the two fences down the back straight when Cowley lost his irons.

Thankfully it was not for long and he easily saw off Donald McCain’s Since Day One, with the beaten trainer believing the market leader was possibly running too soon after finishing third in the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster.

Patrick Cowley survived a potentially embarrassing mishap
Patrick Cowley survived a potentially embarrassing mishap (Nick Potts/PA)

“It was a bad bit of riding on my behalf. It wasn’t as if he made a mistake or anything my foot just fell out really,” said Cowley.

“It was a bit hair-raising for the next couple of fences but once I got the irons back it was fine, he stayed straight.

“The saddle slipped a little as well but all credit to the horse, he stayed straight.

“First time out he made a few novicey mistakes but he’s done nothing but improve since then, he’s settling much better and with that he’s seeing out his races much better. I think he’s a horse on the improve.”

Solar Sovereign and Brian Hughes (right) on their way to victory
Solar Sovereign and Brian Hughes (right) on their way to victory (Nick Robson/PA)

Brian Hughes had his customary winner but trainer Toby Bulgin is not a normal source of his success with the Norfolk-based handler celebrating his first winner of his career through Solar Sovereign (9-4) in the wetherbyracing.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle.

Hughes said: “Two runs ago he had quite a good run around here. I suppose he’s a point-to-point winner.

“I didn’t go overly quick, he had a good look around in front but he picked up well when the others came to him. He could be a nice horse over fences.”

Lucinda Russell’s Bois Guillbert (7-2) maintained her excellent start to the week in the Visit Irish Bloodstock Sales With ITM Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle.

A treble at Ayr on Tuesday ensured Russell continues to operate at a very healthy strike-rate for the month.

Jonjo O’Neill is another trainer going well and Prince Escalus (4-1) enjoyed the drop in class in the Racing TV Handicap Chase when scoring under his son and namesake.

Crawford considering multiple options for Gold Cup Bailly

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Stuart Crawford is relishing the prospect of getting Gold Cup Bailly back in action – but is still mulling his options for the talented chaser.

The seven-year-old is unbeaten since switching to fences this season and holds a pair of entries for Cheltenham this weekend in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase, while he is also entered for a Grade Three assignment at Naas on Sunday in the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.

Crawford is favouring the open handicap worth £100,000 out of his two Cheltenham options, but with conditions at Prestbury Park potentially proving testing on Festival Trials Day, he could be tempted to hang fire an extra seven days and reroute the son of Turgeon to the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby on February 4.

“The horse is in good form and I’m keen to go somewhere soon,” said Crawford.

“If we don’t go this weekend, another option is Wetherby for the Towton Novices’ Chase next weekend. I’m pretty sure if you don’t see him out this weekend, you will see him out the following week – I think he’s in great form and I’m looking forward to running him again.

“At Cheltenham, the premier handicap looks pretty appetising over the novice one. I wouldn’t be opposed a tilt at that, but nothing is set in stone at the minute and the ground at Cheltenham is a bit of a concern.

“It should be on all right you would imagine, but it could end up being quite tacky ground and I would say whatever goes there this weekend could be getting a hard race.”

Gold Cup Bailly holds an entry in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but Crawford is in no rush to label his charge with a target and is simply keen to see how long he can can keep his winning thread going.

He added: “We are in a lucky position with him where he has plenty of options and no real big plans, we’re just keen to get him out somewhere.

“If we can keep on winning with him in the short term, that is what we’re going to try to do with him and if any horse does that, sooner or later they will be taking you to the bigger race and the bigger day.”

The County Antrim-based handler is also keen to take the slow road to the top with O’Toole, who made an impressive chasing debut at Newcastle earlier this month.

O'Toole returned to action with a win
O’Toole returned to action with a win (Nick Robson/PA)

Although holding a Grade One entry for the Dublin Racing Festival, he is likely to continue swimming in calmer waters at Ayr next week.

“I was very pleased with him at Newcastle because it wasn’t easy,” continued Crawford.

“Starting a first timer up against seasoned handicappers is a big ask and to be honest he didn’t put a foot wrong.

“I would say the ground was really hard work that day and he doesn’t need it as testing as that, but he can handle it.

“We’ll try to find something similar to go again with him and try to bank up a wee bit more experience.

“I think eventually the further the better, but at this stage he doesn’t need three miles and two and a half will be fine.

“There’s a novices’ handicap up at Ayr I could run him in. I like going to Ayr, it’s a nice, big, fair track and good fences. Horses normally get a good education there and it’s definitely somewhere we will have a look at.”