A review of the rest of the action from Sundays's meeting at Kempton where Danny Mullins struck on Jacamar.
Kempton first for Mullins
Irish jockey Danny Mullins partnered a first winner at Kempton Park when Jacamar (11/1) came with a tremednous late run to take the Get Your Ladbrokes £1 Free Bet Today Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Your Darling looked to have the race in the bag heading to the final fence but soon faced strong challenges from both the winner and eventual runner-up Mister Coffey (7-2 Co Favourite). At the finish, it was the Milton Harris-trained Jacamar who came out on top by three-quarters of a length from Mister Coffey with another two lengths back to Your Darling.
Mullins, who partners Tornado Flyer in today’s feature Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, said: “Milton told me to ride him with a bit of confidence. Leaving the back, I wasn’t sure but turning for home I thought he would win. Then he hit a bit of a flat spot. It is a long way down the straight here and I had to save a bit before we really committed and I had a willing partner to get me there in the end.
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“It is not bottomless but when you are going a fair gallop all the way it makes it a fair stamina test. I rode one for Milton I think at Plumpton 10 or 12 years ago so I know he is a top-class trainer. He said to me dropping the saddle out that this lad is not out of this. He said to ride with confidence and deliver him late. It all went to plan and he won.
“It was a late call to ride him as my agent Ken Whelan phoned me up a few days ago to tell me I was on it but I’m delighted to have got the ride.”
Successful trainer Milton Harris commented: “I said to Danny that the horse does nothing in front, hence the cheekpieces to try and make him concentrate, because Paddy Brennan was unlucky at Wincanton last week. When they turned in I thought he’d win as long as he didn’t make any bad mistakes over the last couple of fences because he was always going to stay on and stay on. They went fast and it was a fair race.
“I don’t know where we’ll go, there’s a lot of prize money around, there’s Lingfield next month but maybe that’s a bit quick three weeks from now. The problem is everyone goes to The Festival and we might go ourselves. He’s no superstar but he’s a proper solid novice handicap chaser and he will go further – he’ll get three miles no problem.
“We’re doing alright this season and days like today is what we do it for. I’ve never had runners on King George day before, I’ve had runners in the past on Boxing Day but never here and in fact it’s the first time I’ve been to the King George – you’re not really going to come if you don’t have any runners. We’ve had nice horses but perhaps just not the right ones for here. My fella cost about 20 thousand euros rather than 200 thousand so we’re doing OK!
“Danny rode for me last time 10 or 12 years ago and he won. He can ride and he listened to me when I said that this lad needs holding on to, if he’d have got there at the last he probably wouldn’t have won!”
Burg proves cut above
Boxing Day began perfectly for the combination of owner J P McManus, trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Nico De Boinville when Broomfield Burg justified 1-3 favourtism in the opening Play Ladbrokes 5-A-Side On Football Novices' Hurdle (2m). The trio will be represented later this afternoon by Chantry House in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.
Broomfield Burg tavelled supremenly well throughout and after hitting the front two from home, the five year old son of Sageburg powered away for a facile 10-length success over Black Poppy.
Henderson said: “Funnily enough we have actually done the opposite and took the hood off him today that was put on there to make him settle. He was very settled though and off no gallop, too. He is learning. As AP (McCoy) said that will do him the world of good.
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“Dave Fehily, who rides him all the time (at home), has done a fantastic job with him. They (novice hurdlers) will sort themselves out in time but they are a strong team. They don’t gallop together but they seem to come in waves. Possibly (we could look at the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February), but I don’t know yet.”