Harry Fry was delighted and relieved in equal measure after seeing secure star Gidleigh Park get his season again on monitor with a front-running victory within the Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase at Windsor.
At all times held within the highest regard by his coach, the seven-year-old gained a Chepstow bumper and his first three begins over hurdles earlier than ending sixth within the Albert Bartlett ultimately season’s Cheltenham Pageant.
He was an odds-on favorite to make a profitable change to chasing at Kempton in November, however was pulled up after leaping 5 fences and was later discovered to be affected by a fibrillating coronary heart.
In consequence, Gidleigh Park lined up on this Grade Two contest as a 15-2 outsider of 4 beneath Bryan Carver, but it surely was clear from an early stage he was having fun with the duty, as he set a robust gallop from flag-fall that solely 4-6 favorite Caldwell Potter was in a position to stay with.
Grade One-winning hurdler Caldwell Potter, a €740,000 [£625,000] buy on behalf of an possession group that features Sir Alex Ferguson, loomed up trying a giant hazard early within the dwelling straight, however Gidleigh Park saved galloping out in entrance and was properly on high as he handed the publish with 4 lengths in hand.
Private Ambition was an extra 19 lengths behind in third, with You Put on It Properly final of 4 from begin to end.
Fry instructed Sky Sports activities Racing: “I believe reduction might be the overriding feeling, at first that he is come out and jumped and galloped and hit the road onerous.
“Winning today was the icing on the cake, as we wanted to see him back to his best and I’m thrilled obviously to see him put in a performance like that. We’re back on track and onwards and upwards.
“Lots of people have helped us get him again, lots of people have put in a whole lot of effort and it is nice to see that tough work paid off and the dream is alive.
“All summer, I couldn’t believe I ran him in the Albert Bartlett over three miles to be honest, because he’s not a slow horse, as he’s shown there today.
“We have been beginning again from scratch right this moment, so we’ll go dwelling and see how he comes out of it – clearly his well-being is paramount – and we will sit up for plotting the remainder of the marketing campaign with him.”
Nemean Lion hunts down Salver for gutsy success
Nemean Lion toughed it out to claim victory in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle at Windsor.
The eight-year-old has been a fantastic servant to trainer Kerry Lee, with his five previous wins over obstacles including Grade Two triumphs in the Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso and the Kingwell at Wincanton.
Fresh from a fine weight-carrying success in a Hereford handicap, Nemean Lion was the marginal favourite for this £100,000 conditions event at 85-40 and showed a good deal of tenacity to go with his undoubted talent to get the job done under Richard Patrick.
Salver and Blueking d’Oroux took the five-strong discipline alongside for a lot of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, with the latter briefly slicing unfastened earlier than being joined once more within the straight.
With Blueking d’Oroux’s effort tapering off and each Iberico Lord and Langer Dan unable to get severely concerned, it was left to Nemean Lion to throw down the largest problem to Salver and following an exciting duel, it was Lee’s secure star who secured a half-length verdict.
Patrick instructed Sky Sports activities Racing: “When you ride a nice horse like him, it makes your life so easy. As I was saying to Kerry, he’s got no quirks and no kinks – he’s so straightforward.
“We went gallop early they usually slowed it proper down taking place the again, which I assumed was splendid as a result of stepping up in journey, we have got pace and it was a little bit of a dash.
“He did it brilliantly and it wouldn’t be him without kicking a hurdle out of the ground! He’s better than ever at the minute and today he’s done it very well.”
A delighted Lee stated: “He’s a superstar, he loves being a racehorse, he’s so much fun.
“He is immaculately behaved however he is obtained a lot persona, he loves being a racehorse and loves being in Herefordshire and going out within the discipline.
“He’s really thrived since he moved to us and now he’s eight, he’s really matured. I know he’s been on the go a long time as a Flat horse but he really just does enjoy life.
“On the Flat, he was all the time flat out, however he finds this comparatively straightforward, though he needed to work actually onerous to win that race.”
