Cheltenham Saturday reports, reaction and free video replays

Party goes on for Johnson

Party Vibes gifted members of the Richard Johnson Racing syndicate an early Christmas present after fulfilling a long term plan in the Quintessentially Mares’ Handicap Chase.

Having been targeted at the extended two and a half mile test since the summer, the tenacious seven-year-old, read the script to perfection under Sam Twiston-Davies.

As runaway leader It’s Easy wilted away approaching the business end of the contest there were still at least eight runners that held some sort of chance of victory.

However, it was Party Vibes that was to get the best of an entertaining late battle during the final climb to the line with Twiston-Davies pushing his mount out to glory half-a-length.

Daly said: “She is gutsy. She got in a bit of a muddle when she went to Windsor last season. She actually broke the open ditch on the first day of the new thing there. She actually hit it really hard and she just lost her confidence a bit, but she got it back. She is very tough.

“We ran her over hurdles last time as we couldn’t find a race for her. She wants soft ground, and it was probably not soft enough that day, but she ran well. This was always the plan from the moment she came back in this summer. I thought she would keep going, but I thought she would finish fifth or sixth jumping the second last.

“It just wasn’t soft enough that is all as she wants soft ground you would like to think that would suit her well. On good ground we might have to go up in trip, but that is a nice problem to have.”

Deutsch delivers Zertakt to perfection

Charlie Deutsch saw his waiting tactics pay off in handsome fashion when delivering Zertakt with expert timing to land the Michael Eakins Senior Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Although without a victory to his name in his previous six starts over fences, the Venetia Williams-trained Walzertakt gelding changed that statistic when arriving late on the scene in the extended three miles one furlong prize.

Much of the running was cut out by Risk De Pluie, however as his run came to an end between the final two fences it looked as though the Mickey Bowen-trained Holokea was going to be the one to profit after jumping the last.

However, it was not to be for Holokea, who had to settle best with Zertakt getting up in the closing strides to score by a neck.

Williams said of the 7/1 winner: “It was great. Pete’s (Davies) last words to him before we legged him up was just ride on your instincts. Although it looks wet the ground is not very soft at all. Softer ground would have made it easier for him. His jumping was really good and if he missed a beat at any of those obstacles it wouldn’t have happened.

“He stays the longer trips, which he has shown. That day at Newcastle, Pete wanted to have as many runners that day as his son is at Durham University and he was there with forty of his mates. That was the thinking of the Newcastle expedition.”

Zertakt will now attempt to follow in the hoofprints of last year’s winner Haiti Couleurs by backing up his success in this race in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Festival in March.

Williams added: “We have always had in mind since last season that we would like to bring him back here for the three mile six furlong novices’ handicap chase (at the Festival). Hopefully he will progress from this.”

Nicol hails 'the real deal'

Adam Nicol described Minella Study as the ‘real deal’ after he maintained his unbeaten over hurdles in impressive fashion at Cheltenham to fuel dreams of an appearance back at the track in March.

The former jockey, turned trainer, hit the target with his first ever runner at the course following the victory of the Study Of Man gelding in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial Juvenile Hurdle in the hands of Grand National-winning rider Ryan Mania.

Always to the fore of proceedings throughout the two mile and one furlong test, the 5/1 chance was one of three almost in a line at the second last alongside 4/6 favourite One Horse Town and Crooked Path.

However, Minella Study, who scored at Listed level last time out at Wetherby, took the race by the scruff of its neck to open up an advantage he would hold on all the way to the line on the run down to the last.

And after producing a spring heeled leap at the final obstacle he quickly scampered away up the run-in before scoring by six-and-a-half lengths.

Nicol said: “We think a lot of this horse and he is probably one of the best horses that I’ve ever sat on. I think he is the real deal, but we have kept that quiet until now. I loved coming here as the underdog as it was all about the Harry Derham horse (One Horse Town) and it was the same at Wetherby as it was all about the James Owen horse.

“I thought he looked the winner before the last, but he is as weak as a kitten and he will be a better four-year-old. It is my first runner and my first winner here. We’ve had Wise Eagle, but I think we have found another one.”

A trip to Musselburgh next month could now be on the agenda for Minella Study ahead of a tilt at the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Festival which he was introduced at 20/1 by Paddy Power and Sky Bet.

Nicol added: “We came down here today to find out if he was good enough for Cheltenham and it has been a great prep. We will have to let the dust settle, but the long term plan is to come back here in March. You would have to think it would be for the Triumph Hurdle.

“I might run him at Musselburgh on January 31st as it is a nice gap until then and then we can come to Cheltenham.”

'Monster' Carlenrig wins thriller as Skeltons double up

Dan Skelton is yet to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle but he could have a legitimate contender for the Grade One test after the giant-framed Carlenrig opened his account over rules.

One of two runners in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, better known as the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle, the gelded son of Soldier Of Fortune stuck to the task in determined fashion to bag the £80,000 contest for the Shelfield Green handler.

The Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore-trained Conman John was sent off the 11/10 favourite to back up his success at the track in October after showing that day that stamina was very much his forte.

And having been up front from the word go it looked as though the market leader was going to oblige with all of his rivals still having something to find to past him after the last.

But as the shadows of the post loomed both They Call Me Hugo and Carlenrig swept by with the latter, under Harry Skelton, getting up to score by a short-head.

Skelton said: “He is a monster. I thought the pair we ran in that race there was very little between them to be honest with you. Big Cadillac, I don’t think you should forget about him as the race was not run to suit him at all.

“This horse shows a little bit more speed, and pace, and that is what took us by surprise the first day he ran at Chepstow. He needed that today as he needed that pace in that tactical race as otherwise you weren’t going to win. I thought we were beat half way up the run-in.

“Conman John was always going to be hard to beat, and Olly’s horse that won last time, looked like a real stayer.”

And following the race Carlenrig was introduced at 25/1 for the Albert Bartlett, a race which Skelton feels will be an ideal test.

He added: “I think it is a good performance and one that means we can come back here in March. We thought he was quite high up in the three mile division and that has probably cemented him near the top.

“We will probably find him one race on route as he is not a horse that wants over racing and we would like to keep him as fresh as possible for March. He has got the right constitution and the mentally to cope with it.”

History repeated itself in the concluding Download The BetMGM App Mares’ Handicap Hurdle which went the way of Nurse Susan (13/2) for the second time. 

Two years after tasting victory in the extended two and a half mile test the eight-year-old came up with the goods once again to complete doubles for the Skelton brothers. 

Favourite Siog Geal looked to have the measure of her rivals after shooting clear late on, but Nurse Susan soon ate into her advantage after warming to the task before securing victory by two and three quarter lengths. 

"The horses have been a bit unlucky for him [Colm Donlon, owner] this year and in the past couple of years had injuries to really, really good horses and it's great for him to have a winner." said the trainer.

"She's always been a really good mare and I'd have loved to have had a clear career with her because I think she could have been, I wouldn't necessarily say a Grade 1 horse because that's a little bit too bold, but she's good on her day.

"She got a leg and then when she came back she was a bit fragile through it but maybe her body needed time to get stronger and who's not to say that now she won't hold her form a bit better and is a bit simpler to train; absolutely delighted with her. I said to Colm before the race that I had the feeling if it wasn't today then it wasn't ever going to be. Good girl.

"Colm has won two Coral Cups, it would be nice to win a third wouldn't it? They're all getting their flu vacs [vaccinations] at the moment, she might not get hers, we might go to Sandown on 3rd January, there's a good mares' hurdle and then we might just leave her up to the Coral Cup."

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