Dreams were made and missed when a soggy Cheltenham staged the annual evening hunters’ chase meeting yesterday.
Iskandar Pecos proved best of the intermediate hunters, Fairly Famous fulfilled his potential and Regatta De Blanc confirmed she is a mare with a big future. Freddy Philipson-Stow, Huw Edwards, Murray Dodd and Harry Myddleton rode their first Cheltenham winners, but a glorious treble for the mare Latenightdip was missed by just three and a half lengths.
Cheltenham’s St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase could well feature in the plans for a number of the meeting’s winners and placed horses, not least the Hannah Roach-owned-and-trained Iskandar Pecos who won another strong renewal of the Holland Cooper Intermediate Hunters’ Chase. He led before two out under Edwards, but had to fight off challenges from Latenightrumble and Padjoes Legacy – that pair ridden by siblings Jack and Gina Andrews – before drawing clear on the run-in.
Iskandar Pecos (Huw Edwards) gets away from the final fence just ahead of Latenightrumble (Jack Andrews) and Padjoes Legacy (left, Gina Andrews)
Latenightrumble was bidding to follow his half-brother and sister, Latenightpass and Latenightfumble, in winning the race and creating a remarkable treble for their dam, Latenightdip. Despite the narrow miss owner/breeder Pippa Ellis was nothing if not delighted by her horse’s effort and progress this season.
Roach, whose training career kicked off in November from the Cheshire yard formerly headed by Joe O’Shea, said of Iskandar Pecos: “To qualify for this race became a goal 12 months ago. He’s managed that three times this season by carrying penalties in restricted races, and then because meetings were being called off we took a punt and entered him for the Walrus Hunters’ Chase at Haydock. He ran unbelievably well there to finish second and then won at Leicester and Ludlow.
Cheshire trainer Hannah Roach with Iskandar Pecos, who she owns and trains
“He keeps progressing, but he only does just enough. When he hits the front he thinks he’s done his job, but cheekpieces have really helped him. I’d like to finish him now, but depending how he comes out of the race he might go to Stratford. The long-term goal is next year’s Festival.”
At the start of this season the Festival Hunters’ Chase was the target for the Gina Ellis-trained and ridden Fairly Famous, who won at this meeting 12 months ago, but was then turned over at Horseheath on New Year’s Eve and failed to fire at Wetherby. A win at Charm Park in early March was a step in the right direction, but his victory last night by four and a half lengths over Cheltenham Festival winner Premier Magic was confirmation that he remains one of Britain’s brightest hunter chasers.
Ellis, who rides in her maiden name of Andrews, said: “When we turned for home I thought I’d do well to outbattle Premier Magic because he’s such a hardy horse. Two out I felt I had fended him off, but was sure something would come and pick us up on the run-in, but my horse kept going really well and better than I expected.
“We had lost a bit of faith in him after the Foxhunters’ [Festival] dream went at Wetherby. I have never been so disappointed driving home from the races as I was that day, but we had put a tongue strap and a different bridle on because he had been so keen in his previous run. I don’t think he faced the tongue strap. When I came into the paddock today I felt like saying ‘this is a waste of time – he’s not going to handle these conditions’, but after missing Aintree because of the ground we were running out of options. The ground is sloppy, but not holding and tacky.
“We are now qualified for the Festival next year, so the pressure is off and we can plan towards it without rushing.”
Delighted Gina Andrews rides into the no.1 spot on Fairly Famous, accompanied by owners Simon Marriage and Adam Signy on her right
When asked if she was now prepared to sit back in her battle with Izzie Marshall for the women riders’ point-to-point championship her reply was emphatic. “No way!” she said. “I’ve never been so stressed as I have in the last few weeks. It’s ridiculous, and it’s worse that it’s Izzie, because we are such good friends, but all I want to do is beat her, and she wants to beat me.”
The mare Sine Nomine won this year’s Festival Hunters’ Chase, which bodes well for the chances of Regatta De Blanc should she take her place in next year’s line-up. The six-year-old faced just three opponents in the Cheltenham And South West Racing Club Mares’ Open Hunters’ Chase after four horses were withdrawn on account of the soggy ground, but trainer/rider Will Biddick was pleased that lessons were learned in her easy victory. An error at the final fence, forcing Biddick to the buckle end of his reins, was the only moment of concern as she eased home by 94 lengths from sole other finisher Grenadine Save.
Regatta De Blanc (Will Biddick) leads from Daisy Yeats (left, Charlie Sprake) and Grenadine Save (Amber Jackson-Fennell) during the mares' race
After being greeted by a large and very happy group of winning owners – all members of Rupert Swallow’s The Pendil Partnership – Biddick said: “She is getting more and more professional with each run and is thriving each time. She’s progressing and we’ve haven’t reached the best of her yet. She had to jump round today, it was her first time on an undulating track and a good three miles. We have tested her and she has stood up to it. I’m delighted to provide Rupert with a Cheltenham winner, and he’s done the same for me.”
Pendil Partnership members (left to right) JP, Poppy and Will after Regatta De Blanc's victory
A Jet Of Our Own, who began point-to-pointing last season as a schoolmaster for Freddy Philipson-Stow, downed favourite Fier Jaguen by a head when winning the Congratulations Keith & Michelle Smith race over two miles. Missed Tee finished third, setting in motion a treble of thirds for owner Sarah Dawson and trainer Victoria Collins, who also entered the third spot with D’Jango after the four-miler and Solomon Grey following the finale, the trio all ridden by Immy Robinson.
Philipson-Stow’s father, Edward, who owns A Jet Of Our Own, said: “Isn’t that marvellous. A dream. He won very nicely at Chaddesley Corbett recently and that was awesome, so I thought let’s come here have a spin round and if we make the top three we’ll be as happy as a pig in muck. The horse is a star, and Freddy’s not bad.”
Edward Philipson-Stow (centre) is joined by son Freddy, trainer Nickie Sheppard (right) and sponsors Keith and Michelle Smith
Winning trainer Nicky Sheppard, whose husband Matt claims his career has been formed around training “slow two-milers”, said: “He’s a horse who finishes races off well, and I didn’t want him running out of petrol over a longer trip. Freddy went to school in Cheltenham, he lives locally and so we came here for a run – anything else was a bonus.” Future bonuses will not include the forthcoming two-mile race at Stratford, for Philipson-Stow picked up a suspension for using his whip three times over the limit.
Shropshire-based trainer Tom Britten saddled his first Cheltenham winner when What A Glance, who is owned by his grandmother, Ann Taylor, skipped to victory in the Junior Jumpers Open Hunters’ Chase under Dodd. Yippee Ki Yay, whose rider Milo Herbert is hanging up his saddle at the end of this season to begin a career in London, ran another fine race for the Sheppard stable and finished second just ahead of Sara McQueen’s Haven’t Time. Jeux D’Eau, who won the recent Lady Dudley Cup, failed to show the same sparkle and finished sixth.
Ears well and truly pricked . . . What A Glance lives up to his name. Tom Britten's girlfriend Laura Runciman holds the reins
Britten, who is assistant trainer to Alastair Ralph, admitted he was worried the ground would be too soft for What A Glance, but added he was delighted to follow in his grandmother’s footsteps, for she had trained Behest to win a hunters’ chase at Cheltenham some 40 years earlier.
Myddleton’s first Cheltenham winner came on Gaboriot who won the Molson Coors four-mile race for trainers Ollie Greenall and Josh Guerriero. Myddleton, 23, who works for the training duo, had been a tad unlucky at Aintree when eight-year-old Gaboriot lifted him out of the saddle at the Canal Turn, but there was to be no repeat last night as the partnership held off the Gina Andrews-ridden Master Templar – who had stretched his rider’s arms for the first half of the race – and game D’Jango. Myddleton said: “I can’t sum this up in one sentence, but it is amazing. I’ve always wanted to ride a winner here – as does every rider – but I’m normally taking part in point-to-points so just to get a ride here is incredible. To win is proper. My only doubt was coming to the final fence, because it’s four miles and he’s never tried that trip before. I’ve beaten Gina once before, in a point-to-point, so to do it here is special.”
Gaboriot with winning rider Harry Myddleton who is flanked by groom Rachael Lytham and Ollie Greenall, with Josh Guerriero (extreme right) and just a few members of The Jockey Club Haydock Park Racing Club
Norfolk trainer David Kemp had to endure disappointment in the four-miler when his Law Of Gold – the 9/4 favourite – found the going too testing and was pulled up, but he gained swift and sweet compensation when Rebel Dawn Rising, the mount of Dale Peters, fought off Cat Tiger by a length in the finale, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Open Hunters’ Chase.