Cheltenham Saturday reports, reaction and free video replays

Georgie going for Gold

Here Comes Georgie appeared to be money well spent after making his stable debut for Dan Skelton a winning one in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase, bringing up a new record for his trainer in the process. 

Picked up for just £7,000, the son of Geordieland, who was one of two runners in the race for Skelton alongside Diamond Dealer, paid that back instantly with victory in the £100,000 contest. 

Despite having his stamina to prove over three miles, the 3/1 favourite was produced with expert timing under Harry Skelton to hit the front as the field jumped the last. 

Although appearing to idle once in the lead, the former Dylan Cunha-trained gelding found more again once pressed by Katate Dori before prevailing by a length and a quarter. 

The winning trainer said: “I don’t think the other horse handled the hill as he turned in, and looked like he might win, but he didn’t quite get up the hill. It was a masterful ride from Harry, but it is a big team effort. We go to the sales and buy all sorts.

“Last year we bought Thistle Ask for eleven thousand pounds, this year we got him for seven thousand pounds. Ryan (Mahon), our agent, does a great job and we trust him. 

“There was a race at Ascot, where he wasn’t beaten too far, and I thought if we could get him back in some form like that, then maybe he will be okay.

“I thought they would both run really well, but I didn’t think they should, or would win. I had a massive concern about his trip, and the other horse a concern about the track, and so it has been borne out with the other horse.

“He was either going to stay, or he wasn’t. He is by Geordieland out of a King’s Theatre mare so I thought on paper he would stay. I put the hood on today as he has never been anywhere near the trip.”

An outing in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury next month, or a spin over the Grand National fences in the William Hill Half A Mill Becher Chase could be next on the agenda for Here Come Georgie according to the winning trainer. 

He added: “If he gets in the Coral Gold Cup he will run in that, otherwise we will see if he gets in the Becher. I’m not going to come down in grade as the handicapper will bump him up so I will try and fly as high as I can.

“If he doesn’t get in one of those we will end up in a Rowland Meyrick, and then perhaps in the spring you try him in the Ladbrokes Trophy.”

'He just didn’t try at Chepstow'

North Shore demonstrated what he can do when putting everything together after toughing it out from the front to claim victory in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle.

Having failed to fire on his stable debut in the DragonBet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle at Chepstow, the son of The Grey Gatsby looked like a rejuvenated character dropped back down to an extended-two miles in first time cheekpieces. 

There to be shot at out in front, the 11/4 favourite looked to have a couple of live dangers tracking him in behind in Indian River and One Horse Town. 

As One Horse Town waved the white it was left to Indian River to take the challenge to the former Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding after the last. 

Try as he might though, North Shore was not for passing, with the market leader sticking to the task well to secure victory by seven lengths to give the Skelton brothers their second winner on the card. 

Skelton said: “He was very good, and he stuck his head down. After the last, the further he was going the more he started to believe he was the winning horse. I knew he had enough saved up his sleeve. He just didn’t try at Chepstow as he threw the towel in. I was a bit annoyed with him as his work had been very good. We put the cheekpieces on today, and we were a little more forceful.

"He has just got a bit going on between his ears, but he is clearly talented. At Chepstow he thought it was quite hard work to get up there and I will be alright here. He went down the last all by himself, overjumped it and landed in a big heap. He will sharpen up, and that was good today. 

“The only thing with four year olds is that they need a bit of gentle handling. I think he could be one for a nice handicap at Christmas time.”

Sights set on Festival Final

Jonjo O’Neill continued what has been a profitable week in the saddle after booting home Seaniecon to glory in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle. 

Last seen finishing a creditable fifth at the Punchestown Festival, the gelded son of Capri, who is trained in partnership by his dad Jonjo and brother AJ, found plenty in reserve to emerge victorious on his first start in 177 days. 

Although having travelled well into the race, it looked as though the 11/4 favourite was going to have to settle for a place at best after eventual runner-up Kitty Foyle sailed over the last with what looked like a race winning advantage. 

However, as the line drew closer Seaniecon found top gear before swooping to the head of affairs in the closing strides to claim a length and a quarter success under O’Neill, who tasted Listed glory aboard Wilful at Carlisle on Thursday.

AJ said: “Jonjo was fantastic. He needs plenty of keeping alive but to be fair to the horse he is genuine and he keeps galloping. Jonjo did a great job of getting every little last bit out of him. It was fantastic to see him get his nose in front. 

“He ran an absolute cracker at Punchestown. He got a bit hampered on the bend, but he stayed on very well. He just keeps galloping, and I think the hill suited him well today." 

Following the race Seaniecon was given a 16/1 quote by William Hill for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival in March, which AJ admitted is now likely to be on the agenda. 

He added: “It was an inspired observation by Jonjo to keep him over hurdles for another season thinking that something like a Pertemps might be a suitable race for him. There are plenty of nice handicap hurdles as well for him, but he is a horse that keeps progressing. 

“Jonjo and him get along very well so hopefully that can be a long, and successful, relationship.”

Park picks up the pieces

Sean Bowen demonstrated once again just why he is one of the best in the business after producing a power-packed ride to lift O’Moore Park home in the William Hill Epic Boosts Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

In what appeared a seemingly lost cause, the two-time champion National Hunt jockey showed why he can never be discounted when steering the Martin Keighley-trained nine-year-old to the first chase victory of his career. 

Although well-adrift at the third last, the 25/1 chance, put up on sportinglife.com by Timeform's Dan Barber, found himself bang there at the last, where long-time leader, and likely looking winner Spectacularsunrise suffered an untimely fall. 

Despite still having work to do, the former Willie Mullins-trained Walk In The Park gelding knuckled down to the task well to defeat the four-timer seeking Rockonliam by a length and a half with stablemate De Temps En Temps a further three and three quarter lengths back in third.

Keighley added: “It wasn’t that long ago he finished behind Caldwell Potter at the Festival, but it is great to get him back on top form. He was sixth in the Plate at the Festival, but he was a bit unlucky in running so he could have been closer that day.

“I thought Sean gave him a great patient ride. Freddie (Keighley) chose the wrong one (De Temps En Temps). 

“He is a bit of a worrier, and I think maybe just a different routine has suited him. Sean said to Harry Cobden three out that he thought he was going to win, even though he was twenty lengths off them, but that was Sean at his best again. 

“It wasn’t until the last that I thought he was going to get there."

A return to the track next month now beckons for O’Moore Park for a tilt at the Paddy Power Gold Cup, for which he was introduced at 25/1 by the race sponsor. 

Keighley added: “He has been around Cheltenham a good few times for Willie Mullins, so he seems to like the place so we will keep coming back to the different meetings. 

“He will definitely come back for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. He just seems to love it here so we might as well give it a go.”

Woodstock delights connections

Kayley Woollacott might have to re-think plans with exciting point-to-pointer Woodstock Otto, who made his debut under Rules a triumphant one in the William Hill Extra Places Every Day Novices’ Hurdle. 

Arriving on the back of five wins between the flags, the gelded son of Ocovango added to that tally when showing stamina is his forte at the conclusion of the three-mile test under Ben Jones. 

One of three still holding a chance at the last, the 9/2 chance met the final flight on a good stride before bounding away up the run-in to defeat 7/4 favourite Road To Wembley by two and a quarter lengths. 

Woollacott said: “It is amazing to have a winner back here. It is very special to do it for John and Sonia (Gardner) as they have been with me since the start. It is magic. 

“He is probably better than a point-to-pointer. He has always been quite a nice horse, but I don’t think we quite expected him to do that, but he has done it very well. 

“Point-to-pointing is a good grass roots system for horses coming through under rules, and we don’t make enough use of it (in Britain). We love to use pointing to teach them. 

“He was a big, weak, raw young horse when we bought him at Doncaster, but he has done nothing but improve. 

“It was a bit of an unknown coming here today, but we knew he would stay and we knew he would jump. We knew he was genuine, but if there were any holes in anybody staying we knew we would be okay. 

“We have never been able to turn on many taps in the point-to-point field so we thought we would see where we were so it is a nice surprise.”

A return to the track for a crack at the Grade Two Bristol Novices’ Hurdle in December could now be on the agenda for Woodstock Otto, who was introduced at 50/1 for the Albert Bartlett by Paddy Power, according to Woollacott. 

She added: “I think we are going to have to look at some of those better novice hurdles now. I think John wanted to go back pointing, but we won’t be doing that. We might have to look at that (Grade Two back here) as he goes on softer ground, and stamina is going to draw the best out of him.”

Favourites send them home happy

The Classic-winning silks of leading owner John Magnier were welcomed back into the winner’s enclosure after Butch Cassidy completed a hat-trick of wins over fences in the William Hill Price Boosts “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase. 

After posting two wins around Killarney, the Henry de Bromhead-trained 2/1 favourite added to that tally in the three-mile-one-furlong prize when taking fall advantage of the final fence departure of Turndlightsdownlow to score by 14 lengths. 

Darragh O’Keeffe, winning jockey, said: “His last three wins he has really clicked together. I pulled him up at Fairyhouse at their good meeting in April, but he never jumped a fence, or got into any rhythm. 

“In fairness, they have played around with him at home and he has found that mojo. I felt like when I jumped the second last that I was coming to win. From the last to the winning line I knew that was where my lad would be at the best, as when you get down and gritty he find plenty,

“He has been well placed putting three wins together, but hopefully he can climb the ranks again.”

Jamie Snowden looked to unleash another smart type in Ballycrystal Boy, who sent punters home happy when staying on best of them all to land the Lucy’s 40th Birthday Celebration Open National Hunt Flat Race. 

Backed into 6/5 favourite, the son of Crystal Ocean, who joined Snowden from Brian Lawless, didn’t let his followers down when emerging through the gloom in front under Gavin Sheehan.

Although coming under pressure before rounding the home turn, the short-priced market leader showed a resolute attitude to hold off the late advances of Dennis’s Honor by four lengths. 

Snowden said: “He is a very smart horse. He came from Brian Lawless, who we got two off this year, and he said both are lovely horses, and I think he is right. 

“As Gav said when he passed the post he could have stopped for a pick of grass. He is a very laid back individual. He has got a great attitude, and whatever you ask he gives. 

“He is only four, and he is a nice baby, so we will just take our time with him. He is next year’s hurdling prospect. 

“He can run in a better bumper this season. We will see where we go, but patience will be key. There is Ascot at Christmas time, or Newbury in February. There is also the Champion Bumper and Aintree. The programme is there, but we will take our time and let him tell us.”

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