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Celebrated success

Elizabeth Gale described her victory aboard Celebre D’Allen as a ‘massive deal’ after the conditional jockey secured her biggest victory since recovering from a broken back in the Jewson Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Aintree.

Less than three years after recovering from breaking two vertebrae following a point-to-point fall, the 21-year-old was beaming with delight after gaining her first success at the Merseyside track aboard the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained 11-year-old in the three miles and one furlong contest.

In a race that was packed full of drama, Gale worked her way steadily into contention aboard the 3/1 favourite before sending him on past Landofsmiles between the final two fences.

Quickly opening up a sizeable lead Celebre D’Allen measured the last well before coasting home to victory by 16 lengths to secure a first win since running out the winner of a handicap chase at Warwick in February last year.

Gale said: “It was easier than I thought it was going to be that’s for sure. He gave me a beautiful ride around. It was his first run of the season since running in the Topham so the aim was to just get him jumping really. He is an 11-year-old and he has seen it out beautifully.

“I used to come here as a kid with pony club and I never thought I would be walking down those steps. It is a massive deal for me, especially to ride a winner here.

“The plan was to go second division, but I got a couple of slow jumps early so I was right at the back. As soon as he got passed one he kept travelling and jumping. He just knows his job.

“I’ve had a long road to get here and anything I get is a bonus. A massive thanks to the governor and Johnson White. I’ve been there four seasons and I missed a good bit through injury, but I can’t complain as they look after me.

“I broke my back a few years ago point-to-pointing and I missed a year of racing. It has been slow to get going, but days like these will get me going. I’m over the moon. It was really hard (coming back), but we have some great people looking after us so I can’t complain.

“I’m fairly vague with targets, but if I could get a rode around in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival that would be a pinnacle moment for me like today is.”

He's a smasher!

Plan A might have gone out of the window for jockey James Turner, however it failed to stop the up-and-coming rider from losing his 10lb claim after steering Equinus to victory in the opening Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Having bided his time aboard the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Shantou gelding the 21-year-old delivered the 5/2 favourite to make his challenge after the third last where he joined Uno Mas, who was making his first start in 581 days, at the head of the field before drawing on with Secret Trix.

Despite a slightly untidy jump at the last it failed to halt the moment of Equinus who galloped on powerfully during the closing strides of the extended three-mile contest to register victory by five lengths and give Turner career win number five.

Turner said: “It wasn’t really Plan A as I was going to sit just behind the leaders, but they went too quick for him early. He was in a nice rhythm early on.

“The further he has gone he has just crept into the race. I was never too worried on him as he has been going well at home. That was pretty expected to be fair, but he has done it well.

“I’ve only been a conditional for three or four weeks, but I rode last season as an amateur for Nigel. Since turning conditional I’ve had two winners for Nigel, and that is my 10lb claim gone. It is all going well to be fair.”

Equally delighted with the result was dual Grand National-winning trainer Twiston-Davies, who felt the trip helped to bring out further improvement in Equinus.

Twiston Davies added: “He is a smasher, but he has just taken a long time to mature. Going three miles has been the making of him.

“He didn’t jump that brilliantly, but going over fences is where his future is. I was worried beforehand if he would settle, but he nearly over settled and he was doing his best work at the end.”

Twiston-Davies at the double

Twiston-Davies could include Master Chewy (2/1) among his team for next month’s November Meeting at Cheltenham following his impressive success on his debut over fences in the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase. 

Without a victory in his nine previous starts under Rules the gelded son of Walk In The Park looked a natural over fences when running out a 12 length winner of the two mile prize to set up a possible tilt at the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase on November 17th.

Twiston-Davies said: “Fences have been the making of him. He always looked good last season. He fell at Ascot when winning, but this is what it is all about and he was foot perfect around there. 

“That was just excellent. He has always been superb over them (fences) at home. The future is bright. I think we will have to look at proper novice chase races. 

“Very possibly we could to Cheltenham for the two-mile novices’ chase there, why not.”

Brace for Cobden

Paul Nicholls expects considerable improvement from the talented Inthewaterside, who earned a potential step up in class when getting the better of a pulsating finish in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle. 

Arriving on the back of two National Hunt Flat victories achieved last season the Jeu St Eloi gelding lived up to his lofty expectations when making his debut over hurdles a winning one in the two-and-a-half-mile prize to initiate a 19-1 double for jockey Harry Cobden. 

Although eventually prevailing the 4/7 favourite was made to work hard for victory by runner-up Jagwar with only a head separating the pair at the post. 

Following the race, the Ditcheat handler hinted that Inthewaterside could now be pitched in at Grade Two level for a tilt at the Ballymore Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park on December 8th. 

Nicholls, speaking away from the track, said: “He was a bit keen, and he did well to win pulling as hard as he did. There is plenty of improvement in him. 

“That bit of experience will have done him the world of good, but you can see he is ultimately going to be a chaser.  

“I’d half had in my mind to have a look at the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park with him. He is not a horse you want to run too much. I would not be averse to dropping back to two miles as he is not short of speed. 

“It was probably not a bad race, but he has done well winning it considering he did everything the wrong way round.”

Grade One winning rider Cobden completed his brace with a neck victory aboard the Joe Tizzard-trained Sunset Marquesa (12/1) in the concluding Jewson Southport, Bispham Road EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Cheeky chaps

Crambo (11/8 favourite) and jockey Connor Brace were described as ‘two cheeky chaps’ after the pair continued their blossoming relationship when teaming up to secure a sixth success together in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle. 

After failing to feature on his return to Grade One company over course and distance in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle on his final start last season, the Fergal O’Brien-trained six-year-old made his return to calmer waters in the two and a half mile contest a winning one with a cosy two and a quarter length success. 

Sally Randell, assistant trainer, said: “That was great. He was unlucky here at the Grand National Festival. He got no kind of run, and he had a bit of bad luck. Back down in a handicap he has done it well. 

“It was a bit of a worry with the hurdles in the home straight not being in, but Connor was not worried, and you could see that by the way he rode him. 

“I think they get on well because they are two cheeky chaps together. 

“I think we will look at some of those nice staying handicaps now with him. Hopefully he might be a bit better than that.”

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