Rest of Newbury review and replays on Coral Gold Cup day

Tutti tonic for Nicholls

Paul Nicholls has an intriguing conundrum on his hands after Tutti Quanti showed his rivals a clean pair of hooves with victory in the Coral Racing Club Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.

After failing to figure on his return to action at Chepstow last month the gelded son of Chanducoq left that effort behind with victory in the Premier Handicap, better known as the Gerry Feilden.

Racing up with the pace throughout the extended two mile contest the Colm Donlon-owned 85/40 favourite, who finished sixth in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his penultimate start last season, found plenty from the sharp end under Harry Cobden.

Although Indeevar Blue and Indemnity attempted to hunt down Tutti Quanti, neither could reel him back in with Cobden pushing his mount out to score by three lengths to complete a double for the triumphant jockey.

Nicholls said: “He just needed the run first time at Chepstow and everyone then wrote him off. It was early enough and we weren’t fully wound up. I’m just beginning to learn to have a bit of patience as it doesn’t hurt them to have a bit of a run as they will improve.

“We have worked him hard from that first run. We were going to go chaser, but because the ground had been so firm in the autumn I couldn’t school him over fences.

“If you notice he does kick the odd one out of the way. Whether we go chasing or not we will see. I might have a crack at one of those good handicap hurdles with him.

“If he jumps a fence he will make a good two mile novice chaser as I think that is what he will be better at.”

Ship sails to smooth success

French Ship (11/4) ran out a smooth winner of the 'Join Coral Bet 10 Get 50' Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

Harry Cobden was confident throughout under Philip Hobbs and Johnson White's charge, sitting motionless as he chased the leader Lud'or (9/4 favourite) to the final flight.

He barely moved thereafter as his partner, a good winner at Cheltenham last time, continued his progress as he hit the line a length-and-three-quarters to the good.

Guard Duty (14/1) was the only closer from the rear of the field, making late gains to snatch the forecast spot but he was never getting to the winner.

White said: “We had slight concerns about the ground today, but equally we needed to find out whether he went on the ground to give us a guide where go for the rest of the winter.

“Harry (Cobden) said he was very versatile and very straightforward. He will get further, but equally he has got the gears to travel well over that distance.

“He is a very exciting prospect and he has done everything right. I think we can safely say he would have won at Chepstow that day.

“He is a lovely horse and is straightforward to deal with. There is a lot to look forward to.

“I think on today’s evidence we can make that step up in grade, but we need to go back to the programme book and make sure he is okay after today.

“He has won nicely, without winning by too far. He is a very nice prospect and he will jump fences as well. There are lots of nice options for him.

“Harry was available and he is riding as well as ever. You can’t turn down the services of Harry Cobden if he is available.

“I did tell Harry when he came back in that he would be wrong to charge a riding fee to ride that as my grandmother could have won on him!”

Snowden 'Conquieres' Newbury rivals

Jamie Snowden is already dreaming of an outing at the Cheltenham Festival in March with La Conquiere after she registered a stylish success in the Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Since filling the runner’s-up spot in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at Aintree in April the daughter of Le Havre has looked a natural since switching to hurdles after taking a step back up in class in the Listed prize in her stride.

Sent off the 7/4 favourite to follow up her win at the Uttoxeter 29 days ago, the six-year-old mare read the script to perfection in the extended two mile test to leave her legion of supporters happy.

On the run down to the last it was the Alan King-trained Charisma Cat who moved to the front, however she was swiftly pursued by the market leader under a determined Gavin Sheehan.

And as the pair moved on up the run-in it was clear which way the battle for victory was going to go with La Conquiere pulling out more when it mattered most before scoring by three and a half lengths.

Snowden said: “She is a very talented horse. She has got bags of speed and bags of scope. I think she is class. She has got speed and can handle any ground. I think she is very good.

“Gav said he was confident the whole way. He said she felt she was unreal. I think she is very talented.

“She is a different model to Your Wear It Well. She has got far more speed than her. She has handled that well and is just a very talented filly. I don’t know what more I can say.”

Following the race La Conquiere was trimmed from 20/1 into 16/1 for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, which Snowden admitted will now come onto the agenda.

He added: “I think we do look at March now. Two miles is her trip. I think she doesn’t need that much racing.

"She didn’t have much in her bumper season. She had her first race as a five-year-old at Thurles and her second in the Aintree bumper.

“That is only her fourth ever race and she is getting better. I don’t think we will go to Taunton with her as I think Lady Tadita will go for that and A Path To Ronda will go to Haydock (Abram Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) then on to Sandown Park (for the Jane Seymour).

“We will try to keep them all apart for as long as we can.”

Bob on form for Bowen and Murphy

Olly Murphy was left pleasantly surprised by the enigma that is Booster Bob who made a triumphant return to action in the Coral Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase.

Having come from a seemingly impossible position to land the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at the track in March the seven-year-old secured victory in a much more straightforward fashion in the £50,000 contest.

Sitting in the leading half-a-dozen runners throughout the extended two miles and six furlongs prize the 4/1 joint-favourite moved on with long-time leader Leader In The Park rounding the home turn before the pair served up a private battle over the last four fences.

With little to separate the duo over the first three fences up the home straight the pair then jumped the last almost in unison with eventual third Prairie Wolf stalking the pair back waiting to pounce.

However, as the sparring leaders moved on up the run-in it was then when Sean Bowen forged the gelded son of Malinas in front before steering him to glory by four and a half lengths.

Murphy said: “He did too much the whole way through the race today. I did warn Sean to be careful that he doesn’t jump into the bridle as he was very free the first time out last season.

“This horse is an enigma. I took the hood off him today, but he has got a lot of ability. I was delighted with that.

“I said to my assistant in the paddock beforehand that I’m so sweet on this lad, but he will now probably get stuffed.

“He is such an enigma and he can jump off and can be beat before they jump off if you know what I mean, but Christ did he jump today.

“I thought he did plenty through the race and I didn’t know how much he had left after jumping the last, but with half-a-furlong left he pricked his ears and he obviously had plenty left.

“I was chuffed with that as I had a frustrating day yesterday so I’m pleased to get off the mark early on.”

After the race Booster Bob was introduced at 25/1 for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. And Murphy hinted he could head straight to the Premier Handicap.

He added: “I might do something crazy and literally not bring him back until March as he is very good fresh. We might go look at an Ultima or something like that. He is a good horse.

“His first run for the last four years that I’ve had him he has won first time out. I’m not saying I’m going to definitely do that as the owners want runners, and understandably so, but I think freshness is key.

“If we didn’t do that he would have one run and go there.”

Klimt does the business for Lawes

Talk at tilt at Grade One level has come onto the agenda for Klimt Madrik following his first success under rules in the Coral “Daily Rewards Shaker” Novices’ Hurdle.

After finishing fourth behind Kalkbrenner last time out at Ffos Las the Toby Lawes-trained five-year-old reversed that form when staying on best of them all under a well-timed run.

Victory looked to be heading the way of Kalkbrenner, who was sent off the 15/8 favourite to back up his last time out success, however it wasn’t to be for the Ben Pauling-trained runner.

Although the market leader jumped the last with the lead he was joined late in the day in the extended two and a half mile test by the 9/1 chance under a confident looking Kevin Brogan.

And as the post loomed ever closer it was Klimt Madrik who asserted close to the line before going on to prevail by a head to leave his connections contemplating a return to the track next month for the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle.

Lawes said: “We like it here. He is a big raw horse. He has still got so much to learn. I thought he would come and run well, but to travel like he did in the race shows that he is a lovely horse that has a big engine.

“I saw him after ran in his first point-to-point and I absolutely adored him. I said we should make an offer on the horse, but I was told to wait and see as the form hadn’t done much. He ran again and I was able to buy him. He is just a proper horse that has developed so well.

“He finished fourth behind Kalkbrenner last time and he made a mistake two out, which is usually three out, when he was travelling well into it. He is such a big raw horse he could have done the same thing today, but Kev got him spot on.

“I’m so pleased for Alex and Janet Card who sent me a couple of their home bred horses and I hadn’t had much luck with them. They said could I find one for them and I found him.

“Kev came in and said run him in the Challow Hurdle, but let’s just play it by ear.”

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