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Henri reigns supreme

Henri The Second reigned supreme over his rivals to earn a potential step back up in class after bossing his rivals in the Virgin Bet Heroes Handicap Hurdle.

Twelve months after finishing second in the extended two mile seven furlong test behind Red Dirt Road the Saddler Maker gelding reversed that form in emphatic fashion.

Always to the fore, the Paul Nicholls-trained 9/4 favourite proved to be in a league of his own at what is fast becoming a happy hunting ground on conditions he excels in.

With all of his rivals cooked half-way up the home straight only the final flight stood in the way of the nine-year-old from collecting his fourth win at the track.

And after meeting the last on a good stride the well-supported market leader continued to pull away up the run-in before prevailing by nine lengths to give winning rider Cobden his second victory on the day.

Nicholls said: “You look at him and you would think the way he jumps hurdles he would jump fences, but he hasn’t got the bottle for them so we are not going to do that again. I always thought he would be a Welsh Grand National horse, but he just doesn’t jump fences. We tried it again this season at Doncaster, but he was lucky he didn’t hurt himself.

“I’ve been ringing Andrew Cooper [clerk of the course] all week saying make sure that hurdle race is on as he just loves the mud. He stays all day and Harry said you want to step him up in grade a bit now. He is a good horse with loads of ability.

“He won the Grade Two [Winter Novices’ Hurdle] here then he had a few little issues. He has been a bit unlucky really, but in that mud over a trip he is brilliant.”

And following the race Nicholls hinted he could now take aim at the Grade Two Zyn Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock Park on February 14th.

Nicholls added: “After today we will probably have to run in some graded races. There is the Rendlesham in two weeks' time. That could be very testing and a lot of the Cheltenham horses won’t want to be in that so he might even have a look at that. If Haydock is heavy we might just run him there.”

Pic of the bunch

Pic Roc booked his place on trainer Ben Pauling’s team sheet for the Cheltenham Festival after routing his rivals from the front in the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase.

In what had so far been an up and down campaign, the eight-year-old got things back on track when galloping his rivals into submission in the £50,000 three mile contest.

After staying on into fifth in the Coral Gold Cup, having been one of those to be hampered at the start, the Mount Nelson gelding then blundered away his chance of victory at Ascot last time out.

But there was to be no stopping the 7/2 chance, who galloped on relentlessly to score by 13 lengths to continue the hot spell in the saddle being enjoyed by jockey Ben Jones.

Pauling said: “He just made a mistake at the wrong stage at Ascot, but he was never really travelling. Kielan [Woods] made his mind up at Huntingdon, which made a man of him, then the Coral Gold Cup was a shame as his statistics were phenomenal.

“He made so much ground up as he was left ten lengths at the start. Had he got a good start there I think he would have been competitive. Today, he jumped the first slow, but Ben gave him a crack and he made his mind up and then he was off into a nice rhythm.

“He is not the world's tidiest when he gets in tight as he can make a mistake, or two, but he busts them out the ground and keeps galloping."

Following the race Pauling admitted that Pic Roc will now tackle the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase, which he was left unchanged at 16/1 for by William Hill while Paddy Paddy Power trimmed him into the same price from 20/1.

Pauling said: “I’m delighted for Emma [Kendall, owner] as she is a great owner and he deserves to win some nice races.

"That is a good start and we will now look at the National Hunt Chase. It was always where he was going and that is why I wanted to run him today so we had enough time to prepare for that as last season was always a bit of a hurry.

“I think he will stay every yard of it. That ground was pretty testing and he wasn’t overly tired. He just galloped, and that is all he does, so maybe marathon trips will be his thing.”

Cannon fires on Jax

Tom Cannon partnered Jax Junior (9/2) to an impressive victory in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap Chase for trainer Lucy Wadham.

The two mile contest appeared to be run at a good clip with Haddex Des Obeaux taking them along and confirmed front-running mud lover Classic Maestro never far behind.

There was drama in behind with Kotmask departing at the first in the back straight, Hypotenus making a bad mistake at the first Railway Fence and Martator giving Charlie Deutsch no chance at the next. There were still seven in contention at the Pond Fence though with Jax Junior challenging on the outside of Classic Maestro.

Jax Junior contested the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last March and that stamina came into play on the climb to the line as the promising young chaser pulled four and a quarter lengths clear of the back to form Classic Maestro; Dr T J Eckleburg was third.

Jax Junior was having only his fourth start over fences and first in handicaps having finished fourth of five in the Grade 2 Howden Noel Novices' Chase.

Wadham said: “That was really good to see. We were devastated after Ascot when he bled. He wasn’t very well when he came back. We then gave him a second wind operation because we had a feeling we were going to have to do that, but it has done the trick.

“Tom said it took him a mile to accept his breathing was good and everything and then he was really good. He stayed very well, but they went a bit quick in front and he picked up the pieces.

“I think all the way around at Ascot Tom thought he had everything covered then turning in he went from hero to zero, which is not him as he does stay well.

“That was the only time he has bled as far as we know. It (the breathing) can be very connected as there is more pressure on the lungs when they are struggling to breathe.

“That was really good to see as he is a really lovely horse and I’m lucky to have him.

“He is definitely eligible for a handicap at Cheltenham now and that was part of the plan and we will definitely be looking at those. On better ground he would probably go two and a half miles and on less good ground we might go two miles, but we will see.

“He is in the Arkle, and the owners are quite keen to be in that. That will be one of the smaller fields of the meeting. I would probably go the handicap route, but they are braver than me.”

Cheers for Norn

Harry Derham produced a cool ride aboard Norn Iron (11/4) in the Virgin Bet A Good Bet Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

Lylian, the outsider of five, had raced with enthusiasm and was still in front at the Pond Fence but Risk De Pluie was on his quarters on his outside. Norn Iron was just in behind and found himself short of room on the inside as the field straightened for home.

The trio, with Rip Wheeler just in behind, raced towards the second last which Lylian took in front before his earlier exertions told. Norn Iron, in contrast, was full of running on the inside in a first time tongue tie and soon left his rivals trailing.

The winning distance was five and a half lengths with Risk De Pluie next to cross the line.

Charlie Jewell, assistant to trainer Harry Derham, said: “He ran a really good race behind a really well-handicapped horse at Warwick on his first start over fences. Windsor last time was possibly not his track, but I don’t think he ran a bad race.

“I thought it was a good step forward today as he jumped really well. Harry gave him a lovely ride and we have been waiting for him to do that over fences.

“Harry said he really enjoyed the ground and I thought his jumping was key today. We were confident of a good run, but I’m not saying we were coming here thinking we would win.

“He has been in good form and he never runs a bad race. Hopefully that will breed a bit of confidence into him and Harry said that is his trip.”

Four-timer for Bollin Thou

Sean Bowen helped offset some of the £400 he had to fork out for a last ditch ticket back from Ireland after helping Bollin Thou rattle up a four-timer in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Sandown Park.

The reigning champion jockey was scheduled to ride at Leopardstown, however after that meeting fell victim to the weather the 28 year-old hot footed back to England to take up three rides at the Esher track.

And he wasted no time in hitting the back of the net when teaming up with former weighing room colleague turned trainer Nick Scholfield to steer the 6-4 favourite to glory by two and a half lengths from Hot Goddess.

Bowen, who took over the ride from Harry Cobden, said: “My flight was delayed last night and I got to bed at 2am this morning. I woke up to Olly Murphy ringing me saying Leopardstown is off so get your arse over here!

“I had a 10am flight and literally got here half-an-hour before the race. It was worth it anyway. I had plenty of time that end, but not this end.

“I just got a seat this morning and it cost me an absolute fortune so it was a good job I rode a winner! It cost me four hundred pounds, but I’m going back out there tonight.”

Equally delighted with the display was Scholfield, who having celebrated numerous winners at the track during his days in the saddle was tasting his first success at the course in his new role in the two and a half mile contest.

The Lambourn handler added: “This is special. He started off low marks and we were scratching our head at the beginning of the season, but he is on a roll.

“That was horrible ground and I was thinking that is his fourth run on the trot and would he get away with it, but Sean gave him a lovely ride as always. To complete a four-timer at Sandown Park on Saturday is lovely.

“He toughed it out, and he would be better on better ground over further, but it seemed the right race to come for.

“I think I might have got a few speeding fines (for picking Sean up) and I might be regretting it in a month’s time! I would have loved to have used Harry, but Sean had won on him three times and it seemed logical to keep him on.”

Crackerjacque crushes rivals

Crackerjacque (13/8 joint-favourite) took his career record to three wins from six starts in the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

A ready winner at Fontwell on his hurdling debut, Crackerjacque was last of five behind No Drama This End in the Grade 2 Challow Hurdle next time but made light of his 6 lb penalty back in grade.

Sam Twiston-Davies never allowed leader Ionian too much rope but was keen not to go on too soon, reigning his mount back in the back straight after a fluent leap took him ahead of Ionian. The duo were still first and second jumping the second last and it was then that Twiston-Davies pushed his mount into the lead.

A mistake at the last didn't significantly halt his momentum and, although Ionian went down on his shield, Crackerjacque always had his measure, winning by a length and three quarters.

It was a notable winner for trainer Anthony Honeyball who said: "That takes us to 40 for the season, good strike rate and we're up to about £700,000 in prize money; we've had a great season."

Of the winner, he added: "Bred by the Frost family, they've bred so many winners including Sam Brown and he's out of a sister to Sam Brown.

"We've had a lot of winners through the Frost family and he's another nice horse.

"I really like him for next season, chasing. I think he's a bit soft still at the minute, a bit weak as you saw over the last two hurdles when it got a bit tough, he's a big horse to get himself out of the way and I think that's where he found it hard work.

"But like I say, a nice chaser for next season."

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