CheltenhamTrials Day review and replays

Cool Bowen shines on Moon

Sean Bowen produced a fine ride on Moon D'Orange (7/2 joint-favourite) to edge out Grandeur d'Ame in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase.

Trainer John McConnell had gone over 80 days without a winner but market confidence was high as Moon D'Orange was backed down to favouritism alongside Ginny's Destiny.

Ginny's Destiny was alongside Grandeur d'Ame at the head of affairs while Moon d'Orange was a few lengths adrift of the back of the pack in last and seemingly going nowhere fast as he traded at 65 in-running on the Betfair Exchange.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically as Ginny's Destiny weakened tamely and others close to the pace failed to go on but Moon D'Orange took hold of the bit and made rapid progress down the outside. The eventual winner looked full of running only to get the last all wrong with Bowen doing well to stay in the saddle and get Moon D'Orange back on an even keel.

The gallant Grandeur d'Ame was still in there pitching and put his head back in front only for Moon D'Orange and Bowen to wear them down on the line with the judge resorting to a photo to split them.

A short-head was all that separated the pair who were both advised by our columnists Matt Brocklebank and Ben Linfoot; Matt advised a 1pt win on Moon D'Orange at 15/2 while Ben made Grandeur d'Ame an each-way selection. The straight forecast paid £71.33.

The progressive Imperial Saint chased the pair home, finishing two and a quarter lengths away in third.

"I always had a chance," revealed Bowen.

"He's a three miler and couldn't go with them. It just shows what horses can do when you give them a chance and don't hustle them early. He would have won well bar the mistake at the last; just three or four strides before the last he really pricked his ears and I was thinking if I send him now he'll do something stupid but he did something stupid anyway and I stayed on.

"It's instinct, you don't want to fall off do you? He was tough."

East India Dock sails home in Trial

East India Dock (1/2 favourite) won his second JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle of the season to set up a tilt for the main event at Cheltenham in March.

Saddled with a 5lb penalty for his course victory in November, East India Dock settled comfortably at the head of affairs for Sam Twiston-Davies and one by one his rivals dropped away.

French raider Stencil was the sole possible threat at the bottom of the hill but never threatened to land a blow as East India Dock maintained his comfortable advantage, winning by 10 lengths. There were another 18 lengths back to Torrent in third.

"He's a fair one alright," Twiston-Davies said.

"I've not spent a lot of time in Newmarket but he went up one [a gallop] called Long Hill the other day and he was flat out behind one who wasn't particularly sharp so he left me with a question mark but he then tried to buck me off on the way home.

"He has a great attitude, loves jumping and look forward to the Friday in March now. The nice problem I had was meeting the last on absolutely nothing and I thought 'right, take the revs off and get him well back' and he was very clever and away from it quick so hopefully he'll go very close on the Friday of Cheltenham."

Unbeaten in three starts, East India Dock was halved in price to 3/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and winning trainer James Owen is excited by his chance.

"That was lovely to watch," he commented.

"He's such an uncomplicated horse. He's a half-brother to Burdett Road and for him to be three out of three over hurdles, two wins at Cheltenham, he's won both of the trials now and second favourite for the Triumph. He's going to come back here in March - fingers crossed, with a huge chance.

"He wasn't massively talented on the flat but he looks a far superior hurdler. He's bigger than Burdett Road, a little bit more uncomplicated as in he settles and races economically, jumps economically. He wouldn't be as good as Burdett Road yet but he's probably on an upward curve quite quickly now. He handles most types of ground, he's won on soft which is a great thing for a flat horse going hurdling.

"I think spring ground and a fast run race is going to be absolutely right up his street. Really exciting."

Jagwar pounces under O'Neill

Jagwar (4/1) led home a one-two for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero in the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase.

Stablemate and favourite Billytherealbigred enjoyed an uncontested lead and jumped well under James Reveley and was still in front at the last, flanked by the always prominent top-weight Masaccio and the stalking Jagwar.

The latter, ridden by Jonjo O'Neill Jr wearing the silks of JP McManus, slipped up the inside and responded generously to his rider, winning by two and a half lengths.

Billytherealbigred ran all the way to the line as did Masaccio who stuck to his task without appearing to have the speed to match his rivals as the first three pulled well clear of the remainder.

The Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase has proved a decent guide to success at the Cheltenham Festival and connections of Jagwar will be hopeful the six-year-old will prove as effective if returning to the course in March.

The winning jockey said: "The main thing was about his jumping, a bit hit and miss before, but he's just starting to get there mentally; settles a lot better over fences, slower ground as well probably no harm to him.

"We always thought he had a bit of an engine, it's just the obstacles have been getting in his way a little bit, racing a little bit free but thankfully on the day it needed to go right, it did. He's an absolute massive horse and probably just needed a bit of time to fill into the frame and is probably strong enough now that he can keep improving."

Greenall added: "Jagwar’s jumping was a lot better today. They went quite steady early which helped him. He was quite keen early in his career but settled well today and it was perfect.

“It’s always hard when you have two in the same race but there weren’t many options for them. Both horses needed to come here to see they could handle the track going forward and they have both done that today.

"James gave him [Billytherealbigred] a great ride, had an easy lead, got him into a lovely rhythm, jumped really well. It's probably the best he's ever jumped, his jumping can be a little bit low and I was a little bit worried coming here; these fences are a lot harder to jump than what he's used to but he respected them and jumped them all pretty well.

"They've both got improvement to come and the two and a half mile handicap [at the Festival] should be ideal for them."

A bridge too far for Potters

After winning the Grade One Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, connections of Potters Charm announced their intention to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival but when entries for the Ais Novices' Hurdle (registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) didn't appear as exacting as anticipated, the Twiston-Davies team opted to take their chance and Potters Charm was sent off the 4/7 favourite.

Twiston-Davies allowed Sixmilebridge (9/1) and Bill Joyce to have their own way in front but moved up well enough to join them running down the hill to the second last.

However, the jockey began to send out distress signals round the turn and Potters Charm struggled to close the gap. Bill Joyce dropped out disappointingly quickly to leave Potters Charm in second but he was making heavy weather of it and Twiston-Davies appeared to accept his fate approaching the last with Sixmilebridge still full of running under Kielan Woods.

The pair took that flight well en route to recording an impressive eight and a half length success.

The victory was a welcome one for trainer Fergal O'Brien whose stable star Crambo fluffed his line in the Cleeve Hurdle. A smart bumper horse for Ben Pauling, Sixmilebridge joined O'Brien after finishing down the field in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

He was beaten on his hurdling debut at Stratford but progressed in winning at Leicester and Huntingdon and could now return to the Cheltenham Festival after winning this Grade Two contest.

A delighted Woods said: "He's going the right way so he is. He's uncomplicated once he jumps off.

"We thought we had a good horse but I honestly thought we'd finish second or third so we've run exceptionally well. I think softer ground is probably more ideal for him than better ground but I haven't ridden him on better ground yet so we don't really know.

"He's shown he's coped with the track; we'll see what Fergal and the Megsons [owners] think now but I wouldn't put them off [returning for the Cheltenham Festival] anyway."

A relieved O'Brien confirmed the Festival was part of the plan, saying: “It’s been a poor day what with Crambo and a horse up at Uttoxeter getting beat and this has pulled us out of the fire. We’ve always thought he was a lovely horse and we were very disappointed when he got beat on his hurdling debut at Stratford as he’s always worked great.

“Big credit to Kielan and to Max Kendrick who rides him every day as he’s not an easy horse, he’s very hot as you can see. It’s just about getting his mind right.

"The plan will be to come back for the Festival, that’s what the Megsons are in the game for and they have some lovely horses. They put a lot into the sport so deserve to have a horse like this.”

Sixmilebridge could renew rivalry with Potters Charm in March with Nigel Twiston-Davies undeterred.

“It’s a little disappointing, but he will be better at the Festival," he said.

“I regret bringing him and we weren’t going to bring him here. We brought him because we thought it was a weak race and he wasn’t at full capacity. You will see a better horse in March and we’ll be sticking at two and a half miles.”

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