Kempton review: Impressive wins for Global Citizen and Redicean
News from Saturday's card at Kempton, where Global Citizen bolted up in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle.
Global domination
Daryl Jacob and Ben Pauling teamed up to land the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle with the rapidly-improving Global Citizen.
Formerly in the care of Jonjo O'Neill, Global Citizen made a winning debut for Pauling at Southwell at the start of the month and was sent off a 5/1 chance for this step up to Grade Two company.
Sent straight to the front, he never saw another rival and extended clear in the straight to thrash Scarlet Dragon, who stayed on from the rear for second with Michael's Mount third.
Favourite Mont Des Avaloirs was on the shoulder of the winner as the tempo increased and paid the price late on, suggesting that this was every bit as good a performance as it looked.
Smart Flat horse Scarlet Dragon was beaten nine lengths on his hurdling debut while fellow high-profile recruits Humphrey Bogart and Carntop were both well held.
Pauling said: "We always thought he was decent, he's well related and he'd been impressing at home. That was impressive.
"We haven't got him in the Supreme or the Ballymore. We hadn't had him long when entries needed to be made and I just said to the owners it would be a bit too much to throw him in.
"He'll probably go to Aintree."
Jacob, who had given the horse a favourable mention in his Sporting Life column, added: "He won a novice for us at Southwell and did it nicely. I told Ben he was a smart horse and then he said he was coming here, so I was delighted as we'd find out how good he was.
"I think after that performance we've got an idea of how good he is. He's very fast, very quick at his hurdles and travels well."
Sky Bet cut Global Citizen to 16/1 from 33s for the County Hurdle and go 8/1 from 12s for the Imperial Cup.
Spokesman Michael Shinners said: "We knew connections were hopeful of a big run but I'm sure the manner of that victory took them by surprise.
"It sounds like the Imperial Cup may come too soon, which also raises a question mark as to the Cheltenham Festival, but on that display he'd be one to watch wherever he goes.
"We are non-runner, no bet for all Cheltenham Festival races which at least gives punters who want to side with him that extra security."
Master-ful training performance
Fergal O'Brien's patience was rewarded as Master Dee ran out a ready winner of the Betdaq Handicap Chase at Kempton.
Having his first run for 105 days, he has been entered for several big races in the interim but his need for decent ground is well known and the surface at Kempton was clearly in his favour as he bounded clear of Ballykan to win by three and three-quarter lengths.
Outpaced in the early stages, Barry Geraghty was content to take his time on the second circuit before making a big move coming out of the back straight.
As Go Conquer gave way, Art Mauresque was left in front but he had no answer as Ballykan breezed past before Master Dee (8/1) took control.
O'Brien said: "I'm very lucky to have great people around me and good horses.
"This horse has been ready to run for three months and the Rooneys (owners) have let me wait and do what we wanted.
"I could have run him two weeks ago and we decided to wait. It's paid off and I'm over the moon."
Geraghty told ITV Racing: "I think I'm four from four in these colours.
"I was pretty much outpaced all the way, but I just sat and he jumped nicely. With a circuit to go I thought we had no chance, but halfway down the back straight, he started to pick up.
"Turning in I was fairly happy he was coming alive."
Jason Maguire, racing manager for Paul and Clare Rooney, said: "Obviously he hasn't run since Aintree, when he ran well, as we were waiting for the ground.
"His form had been over two and a half, but over three miles here, the sharp track has helped, as has the drying ground.
"Barry gave him a lovely, patient ride, let them get on with it in front and he's come home well.
"We'll see how he comes out of this before deciding about Cheltenham. As he goes on nice ground, he could go to Aintree or even Punchestown."
Triumph on the agenda
Redicean maintained his unbeaten record and boosted his Triumph Hurdle claims in the Betdaq #ChangingForTheBettor Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.
Alan King sent Penzance and Katchit to win the Grade Two before Cheltenham glory in 2005 and 2007 respectively and plenty will fancy Redicean to follow up after justifying 10/11 favouritism.
Now into 5/1 for the Triumph with Sky Bet, his jumping was much slicker and his trademark strong finish was in evidence once more as he pulled seven lengths clear of Malaya under Wayne Hutchinson.
"He was breathtaking. I was adamant he would jump better in a truer run race and he proved that today and he settled better," said Hutchinson.
"I was always in my comfort zone and he went through the gears easily.
"Obviously Cheltenham is a different track, but he's battle-hardened from the Flat, it's not like he's got no experience."
🐴 Very impressive from Redicean, now 5/1 for the Triumph @SkyBet
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) February 24, 2018
🍏How do you like that, Apple's? pic.twitter.com/cU7e9dPgiI
King said: "That's him odds-on for the Fred Winter now! That was lovely. I am thrilled. I thought he was good. His jumping was very slick today. When he got in tight, he was very quick through the air.
"He has probably jumped 200 hurdles since last time. It was a rush to get him here for the Christmas meeting as we only got him in October, then he was gelded, so he was on the back burner for a while and he was just ready to start.
"He was always going to get better. I thought he was very accurate today.
"He got a mile-six on the Flat so he will stay. I've not deliberately just kept coming here, it was just that's the way it suited.
"Penzance never saw the hill and he managed to win a Triumph. I don't think the ground matters. This is the best ground he has raced on so far. Better ground will probably help him.
"He hadn't beaten much up until today and he has come through it well."
Sky Bet's Michael Shinners added: "Redicean seems to be getting better with experience and now rates the biggest danger to Apple's Shakira in our non-runner, no bet book.
"He looks to have all the attributes required for a Triumph and there have been some smart winners of this contest in the past."
A 'name to follow
Cyrname survived a scare to win the Betdaq Now 2% Commission Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton.
Paul Nicholls' six-year-old had jumped immaculately but with a huge advantage coming out of the back straight, he put in another monster leap at the fourth last fence which caught Bowen by surprise and he nearly went over the horse's head.
It took Bowen a while to relocate his irons, but once he did there were no more alarms, coasting to victory in the Grade Two.
Sent off the 2/5 favourite, he provided Nicholls with an incredible 10th win in the race.
Bowen told ITV Racing: "It was embarrassing really, I sent him on then nearly fell off him. It was completely my fault.
"He jumped well the whole way but I still nearly fell off him. He jumps and goes his own speed, he doesn't go slower or much faster, you just let him get on with it."
Nicholls said: "He's brave and sometimes a bit too brave.
"I'm incredibly lucky to have won this 10 times with some nice horses and this is a nice horse.
"He's just starting to relax. With another summer he'll be really nice and who knows, he might win us a 10th King George one day.
"He definitely won't go to Cheltenham or Aintree, I just wouldn't mind finding one small race going right-handed somewhere. It wouldn't be the end of the world if he didn't run again."
Nicholls went on: "He has just transformed from being disappointing over hurdles as his issue was being so keen, but now he relaxes he is really good.
"The race that might tempt me more than any is at Ayr, the Future Champions Novices' Chase. He just wants minding a little bit."
King for a day
Kings Walk (12/1) toughed it out to win the opening Back Or Lay On Betdaq Handicap Hurdle.
Colin Tizzard's horse was given a positive ride by Harry Cobden but looked vulnerable to The Mighty Done approaching the last.
However, a mistake from that rival gave Kings Walk another sniff and he found plenty to hold the rallying runner-up, who went down a neck with six lengths back to third-placed Wolfcatcher.
Treble for Nicholls
Favorito Buck's showed a willing attitude to land the Betdaq 2% Commission Exchange Handicap Chase for Nicholls, whose Cyrname had earlier landed the Pendil, before Danny Kirwan made it a treble for the yard in the concluding bumper.
The latter was punted all day into 13/8 favouritism and won by two lengths from Pym, a Nicky Henderson representative who had been absent since winning at Ayr's Scottish National meeting in the spring, in what looked a strong race.
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