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Drew dreaming of huge spring double

Panic Attack left owner Bryan Drew dreaming of an ambitious spring double after continuing her remarkable season with a near perfect round of jumping in the Alder Demain & Akers Mares’ Chase.

It had already been a campaign to savour for the ten-year-old, who pocketed both the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November and the Coral Gold Cup on her previous start at the Berkshire track, ahead of bidding for a third Listed success of her career in the £40,000 feature.

And those opting to jump in at prohibitive odds of 1/4 never had any worries with Harry Skelton enjoying an exhibition round of jumping aboard the Dan Skelton-trained daughter of Canford Cliffs.

After enjoying things out in front from the flag fall, the odds-on market leader was still hard on the bridle turning in with just the final four fences up the home straight left to negotiate in the extended two miles seven furlong contest. Although Panic Attack was slightly in tight at the second last it failed to halt her momentum with Skelton only needing to nudge his equine partner out to score by 14 lengths from the rallying Molto Bene, who got up to be best of the rest.

Drew said: “It was an exhibition. There was a little bit of trepidation as you have got everything to lose and not much to win in a situation like that, but it was a pleasure to watch. Never at any point did you feel that she was at risk at coming down. She was very clever at one she got in tight to, other than that she measured her stride really well, and jumped brilliant. Harry was very impressed with her. He said he struggled to pull her up and that she would have gone around again.

“On the numbers she ought to have done that, but nonetheless it is fantastic that she did and we are absolutely delighted with her. You worry when they are left in front like if their concentration wanders and they miss one, and the confidence and the jockey gets a bit agitated and then all of sudden it is hard work, but there was not a bit of it. It was a schooling round and she jumped the last as if it was the first. She was phenomenal.

“In the14 months she has been with Dan she has gone up to one hundred and forty seven and after today she has won close to three hundred thousand pounds. It is a fabulous story and shows you should never give up on a nice surprise.”

And while the Randox Grand National remains Panic Attack’s ultimate goal in April, Drew admitted that she will now take in the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival first, for which she was trimmed to 10/1 by the race sponsors.

The owner added: “She is in the form of her life and when you see her run like that you think you have got to have a go at the Mares’ Chase. The Grand National is definitely the plan, but there are four weeks between the races this year so you have got a chance to do both. That is a horse that is good enough to run in the Mares’ Chase. She will certainly give the Irish plenty to think about.”

Warning Fires for Henderson and Ricci

Fire Warning lived up to all the pre-race hype after making his British debut a winning one in division two of the extended two mile novices’ hurdle.

Picked up for €340,000 by Rich Ricci after finishing second at Auteuil 105 days ago, The Grey Gatsby gelding paid a small slice of that back with a routine success on his first start for Nicky Henderson.

Having been out in front from the get go the 8/11 favourite was there to be shot at, however the imposing grey was not for catching with James Bowen pushing his mount out to score by three lengths.

Henderson said: “Kevin Mooney rides him in all his work and he loves him. That was a good start. Kev is great and he has helped the horse along the way. He is an older horse as usually it is three-year-olds that come out of France, but this is a four-year-old. He had one run, and just got beaten. He has got a future in front of him, but when he jumps a fence he will be a better horse still.

“We weren’t planning on that (to make the running), but they weren’t going to go very quick so he just let him roll along. I think it was quite sensible he set his own pace. He just wants a good even gallop as probably hasn’t got six gears, but he might have a couple. He is a very nice and very straightforward horse. He looks like a chaser in the making. I think we will have a lot of fun with him.”

Following the race Fire Warning was left unchanged at 16/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival by the sponsors. However Henderson insisted he was keen to see the four-year-old race again before considering a tilt at the Grade One prize.

He added: “I hope he will be a Cheltenham horse one day. He will stay further and he will certainly run again (before Cheltenham). Possibly he is more of an Aintree horse as the others have had a couple of runs, but I don’t know, however that is probably not a bad idea.

“We will see what Rich wants to do as he has got a lot of other horses. We’ve only got one soldier of his to go to war with and I’m sure he has quite a team in Ireland that will be invading.”

Glory back on track with Newbury stroll

Philip Hobbs had the spring put back in his step by Sober Glory who moved closer to a potential appearance at the Cheltenham Festival following an effortless success at Newbury on Wednesday.

Having seen his bubble burst when coming up short in a Listed event at Sandown Park last time out, the gelded son of Mount Nelson, who Hobbs trains in partnership with Johnson White, barely needed to get out of second gear to register a second success over hurdles.

Sent straight to the front by Ben Jones the 2-13 favourite barley saw another rival in the opening division of the BOYLE Sports Home Of Early Payout Novices’ Hurdle with the odds-on favourite strolling home to take the extended two mile prize by 13 lengths.

Hobbs said: “There has been no reason for the Sandown Park disappointment at all. He was fine afterwards. His blood tests were good and the physio couldn’t find anything wrong. It wasn’t a hot race today, but nevertheless he has done it as you hoped he would.

“It did take the wind out of my sails at Sandown Park. It was a big surprise as he has run miles below par for no reason at all, but I suppose they can all have an off day. You can ride him anywhere, but there was going to be nothing to take him on so it was easier for him just to be in front.”

Following the race Sober Glory was trimmed from 33/1 into 25/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March by the sponsors and Paddy Power, however an appearance in the Listed Kennford Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter on February 8th beckons first.

Hobbs added: “Everything is possible at this stage. I suppose it is very likely he will run in a Listed novices’ hurdle at Exeter in February as that gives us the right sort of timing. If he went and won that well then you would be thinking about the spring festivals.

“We have some very novice hurdlers that will hopefully make nice chasers. I think we always felt that way (that he was top of the pecking order), but then Starzand and Bobby’s Nelson are two nice horses.”

Different earns tilt at the Final

It is full steam ahead to the Pertemps Final for C’Est Different, who showed no signs of his winning run coming to an end when powering clear to make it four victories on the spin in the Wendigo Wins The Brown Advisory Handicap Hurdle.

Despite being burdened with 12st 1lbs on his back the 11/4 favourite was not for stopping under Dylan Johnston in the extended three mile contest. After making a winning return to action at Market Rasen in November the improving six-year-old had no trouble in defying a 12lb hike in the weights for that success when seeing off last time Aintree scorer Top Guy by five and a half lengths.

Thomas said: “He is a lovely horse. He is 17 hands, but he is very relaxed and he is the perfect horse as he saves his best for the racetrack. I’m glad Dylan gave him a proper ride today as he learnt a lot today. It is all good and well winning easily, but he has had to stick his head out there and gallop all the way to the line. He hasn’t seen a hurdle since he won at Market Rasen, but horses like him either have it or don’t. I’m very lucky to have him.”

And the Pertemps Final is now firmly on his radar.

He said: “Fingers crossed he is in one piece and he will go straight to Cheltenham now. He will be a beast of a chaser Without sounding big headed he is better than a 0-120 horse and I wanted to keep him in a 0-120 against lesser horses as he can carry a big weight, but he needed to win like that today to get into the Pertemps in March, which he has. He races nice and quietly which is what you want in a race like that.”

Uttoxeter the big Target

Top Target could be aimed at the Midlands Grand National after finding range over fences at the third attempt following a front-running success in the DJB Cleaning Handicap Chase.

After falling while still in contention at Doncaster last time out the Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls-trained eight-year-old atoned in game fashion under Tom Bellamy. In a race few got into the 7/2 chance continued to find plenty late on in the extended two mile seven furlong contest to defeat the equally prominently ridden Sheldon by 11 lengths.

Nicholls said: “He has been quite unlucky. He was a nice novice hurdler, but he picked up an injury and missed a long time. He hasn’t been the easiest and I thought he was going to be second the last day at Doncaster when he fell. The winner that day came out and won and the handicapper gave us three pounds for falling, but he will give us a lot more than three now.

“I wasn’t sure he quite had it in him to do what he did, but Tom was adamant that he just wanted to put his hands on his neck and go let him enjoy it. I thought he was going to walk after the last, but he pulled out a bit more. It is a shame he hasn’t had a clear run as he could have been quite smart. He likes soft ground and he wouldn’t want it any quicker than it is out there today. He stays very well. He could possibly be one for the Midlands Grand National as he would be quick enough to go around Uttoxeter.”

And the victory was a special one for winning owner John Perriss, with it being his 100th to be trained by Bailey, a partnership which stretches back to 1993.

Perriss said: “I’ve had 103 in total, but that is my one hundredth with Kim, and the last few have been with Mat on the license as well. Act Of Parliament was my first winner back in October 1993 around Warwick. He then won a nice novice chase the next autumn and Richard Pitman was on the BBC then that’s how long ago it was!”

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