Rest of Cheltenham reports and free video replays on day two of November Meeting

Lavender Hill Mob plunders prize

Owner Tim Gredley was rewarded for listening to trainer James Owen in twisting his arm to not send Lavender Hill Mob to the sales with a victory in the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.

Big things were expected of the son of Expert Eye last season, however he failed to live up to expectations with just a sole win at Warwick all he had to show following six outings over jumps.

However, the four-year-old, who finished third in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes at Newmarket on the Flat in September, left that form behind on his first start over two miles and five furlongs in the Class Three contest.

Seeking the better ground out wide the 33/1 chance breezed into the lead over the third last under Sam Twiston-Davies still travelling seemingly with a full tank left.

Despite having his stamina to prove The Gredley Family-owned charge was not for stopping after jumping the final flight with Twiston-Davies getting an instant response from his mount before clinching victory by four and three quarter lengths.

Gredley said: “It didn’t happen last season and we were a bit surprised. We had half given up on him. He ran really well at Newmarket in that Listed race and James said he is really enjoying it again so let’s try him back over hurdles.

“Sam gave him an amazing ride. Full credit to James Owen as he has got the horse back. I was laughing about the fact we were running today. He is a home bred and we have now had two thirds and a first today so I’m delighted.

“I was going to put him in the horses-in-training sale, but James said can we just try him once over two and a half miles and I said yes, but be it on your shoulder, however I have all my faith in James and Sam. I’m just delighted.

“I’ve got some good American friends over with me and I said, jokingly in the bar, that he is well in if he can put his Flat form in over hurdles and here we are. I didn’t expect it though and this is all down to James and his team.”

And Owen believes Lavender Hill Mob could stay even further on better ground, but for now he was delighted to just see him get his head back in front. 

Owen said: “He is Listed placed on the flat and he stays really well and he wanted all that trip there. He didn’t run too bad in the Fred Winter (at the Festival) as he stayed on, but I think it was happening all too much for him as he is a big horse.

"He jumped lovely there and Sam has given him a lovely ride and nicked all the best ground, and it has worked out really well. He is a very well-handicapped horse on his flat form, but he has never really shown that over hurdles.

"He was the talking horse of the juveniles we had last season. I’m glad we have given him another chance. It was a bit of a surprise as he was 33/1, but he was that for a reason as he hadn’t really shown it over hurdles. 

“On good ground he would go three miles no problem. He was in the sales, but I twisted his (Tim Gredley's) arm and I’m glad he kept him as I said he would do alright over hurdles.

"Tim wants Cheltenham winners and he has got one.”

Friends reunited

Martin Keighley raised the prospect of a tilt at next month’s Coral Welsh Grand National with Hung Jury, who got his career back on track with a gutsy success in the Debenhams Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The gelded son of Court Cave, who scored over extended four miles at the track in May, showed that stamina is very much his forte when downing his rivals in the three miles one furlong prize to get the Luckley handler on the scoresheet.

Having been left behind following a standing start at the Showcase Meeting at the track last month the 10 year-old had no such problems on this occasion when settling into a much better position under James King who had ridden Hung Jury on his debut between the flags as a five-year-old.

The 22/1 chance moved on with the prominently ridden Cheerful Chap rounding the home turn before moving into an advantage he would hold on to all the way to the line on the run down to the last.

And after safely negotiating the final obstacle Hung Jury stuck to the task well to defeat the staying on Herakles Westwood, much to the delight of his owners, the Martin Keighley Racing Club, who turned out in force to welcome him back to the winner’s enclosure.

Keighley said: “He stays forever as won the four miler here in May. He has got form pointing on real soft ground so all that rain that came was perfect for him today.

“I felt if he was in with a chance coming down the hill he would be very hard to beat as he stays so strongly up the hill. He didn’t meet the last quite right, but he had plenty in hand and he pulled away really well so I was impressed with him.

“It was a standing start the last day and he lost his position early and he never got into a rhythm. He was virtually tailed off on the far side then he flew home and he was only beaten twelve lengths so it was a better run than it looked

“It all went to plan today and James gave him a lovely ride.

“It might seem crazy, but he could be a Welsh Grand National horse as he will go in heavy ground and he stays forever so that might be something worth looking at.

“Crazy as it is there are still shares in the Martin Keighley Racing Club so I best put that out there as he has now won twice at Cheltenham and he has been good fun for them.”

'Keep it simple and enjoy'

Richard Johnson has enjoyed plenty of memorable days in the saddle at Cheltenham, but the now retired four-time champion jockey celebrated victory as an owner at the track after Kikijo opened his account for the campaign.

Although purchased to be a staying chaser the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained five-year-old showed he is equally effective over smaller obstacles when running out the winner of the From The Horses Mouth Podcast Handicap Hurdle.

Having made a satisfactory return to action at Aintree last month the gelded son of Estejo, who is owned by the Richard Johnson Racing Club, showed the benefits of that outing when moving smoothly into contention for the three mile prize.

Charting a wide path in search of the better ground the easy-to-back 11/2 chance ploughed a successful path close to the stands' side rail swinging into the home straight where he was swiftly pursued by Prince Zaltar.

But after popping the last in neat fashion Kikijo was not for catching with Sean Houlihan getting a good response from his mount with the pair passing the post with two and three quarter lengths in hand.

Johnson said: “It was much more nerve wracking watching as I’m not a good spectator. We have been so lucky with all the runners we have had with our syndicate. I sold him as a chaser and in the summer I said hopefully he will be a nice staying chaser this season and we have come to Cheltenham and won a handicap hurdle on Paddy Power Gold Cup day. I’m pinching myself a bit.

“We thought he would enjoy the softer ground than what it was up at Aintree, but you have still got to come and do it as every race at Cheltenham is hard. We were just hoping he would run well. I said to the owners if he can come back into the winner’s enclosure in some way it is a bonus and what he has done today is even better.”

And according to White a Pertemps qualifier could be next on the cards for Kikijo.

White said: “He is such a versatile horse. He had been bought to go chasing, and he will go chasing, but if there is a suitable hurdle race, like today, along the way then we can mix and match.

“I don’t like to pigeonhole horses as chasers or hurdles so we will see what races are available and go from there. He won at Newbury over fences last season, and he jumped particularly well. I’ve got no problem with him going over fences next time, but we will just see what the programme is and see what suits him.

“Dickie and I said to Sean, keep it simple and go enjoy him as he travels and jumps and make the best of your way home. He gave him a lovely ride and did exactly as we wanted so I couldn’t be more chuffed.

“It (a Pertemps qualifier) is looking more like an option now.”

Market hits the right note

Celestial Tune was backed down to 9/4 favourite in the Cheltenham Guardians Safeguarding Team Mares' Open National Hunt Flat Race and the support proved to be right on the money.

Sean Bowen jumped out in a share of the lead aboard the Thomas Cooper-trained Celestial Tune, an impressive winner at Limerick last time, and was able to control the race.

The challengers were lining up behind down the hill with most looking to claim the favoured stands' side rail but none could get past the long-term leader whose response was impressive when Bowen asked her to put the race to bed.

Shotgun Shirley did manage to squeeze through on the rail but was readily left behind, finishing three lengths adrift.

Divine Diva was almost two lengths back having battled on gamely to hold on for third from Rock Sensation who came from a long way back.

Bowen said: "She controlled the race. I've been annoyed all day as all the winners have been coming from the front and I thought 'I'm not doing that again' so I popped out and made the running.

"She found plenty of the bend. She has a very good attitude and what makes her so good is her attitude and how she goes through a race. Drop your hands on her and leave her to do what she thinks best.

"The way she picked up off the bend was impressive and great to get an Irish winner."

Cooper believes the best is yet to come from Celestial Tune, saying: “She is a very smart mare. Her attitude is unreal and she just switches off. Bryan (Cooper) rode her out this morning and she got a bit lit coming back in with the music and what have you so we decided to put a red hood on her going down to the start. 

“We were surprised how fresh she was, but through the race she was very professional. She is not really a bumper mare as she is 16”2” so she will make some chaser down the line.

“I had this, and the race in Navan in mind, and I was tossing between the two races, but I decided to come here. I thought the way the ground was going to be at Navan, and although it has turned out to be heavy here, it would have been proper heavy ground there and I didn’t want to tear the heart out of her.

“We will have to keep in bumpers for the season as there is no point jumping a hurdle. We might look at the Grade Two bumper at Leopardstown in February.

“She is so laid back I don’t know what is in the tank. Sean said if he gave her another tap she would have gone again. She would get seven pounds off the boys here in March, and it is something to think about.”

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