Cheltenham Friday review & replays

Mozzie in cruise control

My Mate Mozzie might have let his supporters down when fluffing his lines on his debut over fences but read the script to perfection when appearing a class above his three rivals in the squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase.

Having been turned over by a 50/1 chance on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse earlier this month the Gavin Cromwell-trained Grade Three-winning hurdler made amends with an effortless looking success in the two-mile contest under Keith Donoghue.

Sitting in third for much the race the 4/7 favourite, despite jumping out to his right on the odd occasion, breezed into contention on the run down to the final fence to throw down his challenge.

Delivered between Al Zaraqaan and long-time leader Jetronic after jumping the last the odds-on market leader barely needed to come out of second gear to move clear of both rivals before passing the post with three lengths in hand.

Cromwell said: “It was good. He jumped out a little bit to his right, and he made a couple of little novicey mistakes, but I’m happy with the result anyway.

“He arrives into all of his races travelling very well, and he has got beaten odds on in running trading very short on a few occasions, but thankfully he didn’t today.

“On ratings he should have won at Fairyhouse no matter what way you rode him, but I think he really needs to be ridden to arrive late on and he probably only just barely sees out the two miles.”

Assessing future plans Cromwell did not rule out bringing the Born To Sea gelding back to Cheltenham next month for the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase on November 17 should the ground be suitable.

Cromwell added: “He could possibly come back here for the Arkle Trial next month, but it will all be ground permitting. I don’t think you would run him on too softer ground. We will give him a little break in the middle of the season then bring him back in the spring.

“Leopardstown at Christmas is probably the only time we will get nice ground, but the timing of it is not great. We are just happy with that result today and we will go back and have a look at things.

“He will have to get another bit of experience along the way somewhere and step forward plenty from that to be competitive at the Cheltenham Festival, but we wouldn’t rule it out. It does take some doing around here so winning today is a tick in the right box."

Twiston-Davies brilliant on Bihoue

Nigel Twiston-Davies was quick to describe Idalko Bihoue as "very exciting" after the five-year-old got off the mark over fences with a near flawless round of jumping in the 2023 Thoroughbred Census Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

After losing the services of Grade Two-winning hurdler I Like To Move It on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter, a day which the Naunton handler claimed was the "worst racing day of his life", the Grand National-winning trainer was in a more jubilant mood following the victory of the Balko gelding.

Having finished third in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December the Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepperd-owned runner then failed to complete two of his final three starts last season before unseating Sam Twiston-Davies on his chasing debut at Warwick 22 days ago.

However, there were no jumping issues on this occasion with the 5/1 chance showing exactly what he is capable of when putting in a clear round in the two and a half miles prize.

Racing just off the pace throughout the race Idalko Bihoue moved into a lead he would not surrender rounding the home turn for the final time before bounding away to score by seven lengths.

Twiston-Davies said: “That was absolutely lovely, and we thought he would do that the first time at Warwick, but he was too keen. He was very sensible around here and he is a really nice horse.

“It all went wrong in the second half of last season, but he is back now and hopefully he can have a good run now.

“No (there was nothing I could put my finger on why he lost his form). He was a young horse growing up and it was just all too much. He is a great big thing, and he will get better.

“Quite definitely I thought he would be better over fences. He is very exciting. We can’t go in a big handicap yet as he needs another run. There are very few ordinary novice chase races now so he will probably have to have another novice handicap run then we would have a think.

“This is lovely. I think that was the worst racing day of my life (losing I Like To Move It) and this all helps put it back together again. The owners have been very good supporters and they sponsor the yard. It very much makes this victory important."

Champ delivers birthday gift

Freddie Gordon enjoyed an 18th birthday to remember after securing his first-ever Cheltenham success, day one of The Showcase, when steering Our Champ to glory in the Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. The winner is trained by Gordon's father Chris.

Having run out a clear-cut winner on his stable debut for the Winchester handler at Plumpton 33 days ago the five year old gelding backed up that success when taking another step forward in the extended two mile curtain raiser at the Home of Jump Racing.

Striking the front before the penultimate flight the well backed 9/2 joint-favourite met the last on a good stride before bounding away on the climb to the line to defeat Swinton Hurdle winner Black Poppy by seven and a half lengths.

Freddie Gordon said: “This is what dreams are made of coming here on my 18th birthday. My dad has let me have a spin, more for like a day out, and then he has gone and done that which is amazing.

“My old man said jump out and try and make it, but if someone else is going to then get a lead. They went a lovely gallop for him, and that is all he does is stay.

"He got around the final bend and I held onto him a bit more then we jumped the last and he picked up lovely for me. I think he has surprised us all really."

As for the triumphant trainer he hinted that the Grade Two Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton in February, which he has previously won with Highway One O Two in 2020 and Aucunrisque in 2022, could be a target for the former Paul Henderson-trained gelding.

Chris Gordon added: “That was the boy’s 18th today so I got it right for once. That is his 18th birthday present. He came to us and went to Plumpton and won nicely there and I thought before the handicapper gets hold of him let's come here for the owners and he has done it really well.

“He is only a five-year-old and he is still a novice so I might look at some of those novice graded races as the season goes on as he is a very experience jumper. We might have a look at the Dovecote at Kempton.

“To be quite honest I came here pretty confident for me as I’m always pessimistic. I rode him myself the other day in a bit of work against a very good horse in Aucunrisque and they worked extremely well.

“He has just got a good attitude and he is a really sharp two-miler. The stronger the gallop the better for him, but there are loads of options for him.”

Emotional success for Mole Court

Tears of both joy and sadness trickled down the face of part owner Ed Hoddell who insisted there is a ‘racing God’ after Mole Court secured a highly emotional success when completing a four-timer with a tenacious victory in the Close Brothers Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The Ben Pauling-trained six-year-old received the biggest cheer of the day on walk back into the famous winner’s enclosure when digging deepest of them all under Jack Andrews in the three miles and one furlong prize to add to his brace of wins at Worcester and last time out victory at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Racing beyond an extended two miles and six furlongs for the first time, the 9/1 chance found plenty of stamina in reserve late on to deny Midnight Our Fred by half-a-length with stablemate Wick Green a further length back in third much to the delight of Hoddell, whose wife Tina is battling an illness.

Hoddell, who is based in Hartpury, said; “There is a racing God and he has smiled down on us today. That is all I can say. All our friends are over there. I’m so happy and so sad at the same time.

“It is incredibly emotional, and I’d like to say a huge thanks to Ben and all the team up at Naunton Downs as they are an amazing team up there. It is just wonderful.
We did a little bit of work up there. Ben and Sophie through the whole process of building the yard have been incredible. They are great people to work for and great people to have a horse with. They are just wonderful people. I didn’t have time to think about the race.

“There are four of us involved in the horse my father-in-law Michael, Oliver and Lizzie (Troup) and myself. We called him Mole Court as he was the initials of the people. It is just wonderful.”

Equally emotional was the Naunton handler who hopes the victory would give the Hoddell family ‘every bit of joy they deserve’.

Pauling said: “Ed basically single handedly with his whole team built my new yard and halfway through the build his wife Tina fell ill and very sadly she is not very well at all. We don’t know how long (she has left) but hopefully this will have given her everything. She is the most incredible person. Tina, we do love you lots. It is quite hard to talk about but this horse means a lot to everyone. This means so much. We all love winners here, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this. Tina and the Hoddells are the most amazing family and I hope this gives them every bit of joy they deserve.”

Peak lands finale

Joint-owner Richard Lloyd saw his longtime dream of celebrating a winner at Cheltenham finally become reality after Pinnacle Peak (28/1) landed concluding the Abu Dhabi Digital Markets Handicap Hurdle.

Appearing the appreciate the drop back to two and a half miles the Martin Keighley-trained eight-year-old, who Lloyd owns half of with Mark Boothright, galloped on resolutely to score by four and three-quarter lengths from top-weight Angels Breath.

Lloyd, who lives near Guiting Power, said: “It is my first Cheltenham winner and I’ve been dreaming of it for a long time and it happened today, although it was unexpected. I thought he would be good for a place and that he was massively overpriced.

“It was shock when he crossed the line but now I’m going to celebrate. I love the sport and I love horses. This is massive. I had a few shillings on him at 50-1 this morning. That will pay for dinner tonight at No 131 in Cheltenham.”

As for the winning trainer he hopes that Pinnacle Peak can continue to progress to be as good as his dual cross country chase winner Back On The Lash.

The Luckley handler said: “He was probably a bit too keen at Warwick last time over three miles one (furlong) and he got outstayed so we dropped him back in trip today.

“Adam (Wedge, jockey) said he travelled superb and jumped so well. He has won quite easily in the end. He should have never been that price and I said to the owners that he is way better than his price. He is a half-brother to Back On The Lash and hopefully he can build on this today.”

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