Wincanton review: Rapper's delight for Henry Daly

Henry Daly will look towards an outing at the Cheltenham Festival with Rapper after the eight year old provided the triumphant trainer with a timely boost in the Dick Hunt Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Thursday.

After enduring a number of disappointing results at Cheltenham, Doncaster and Uttoxeter last weekend, the Ludlow based handler had the smile put back on his face following Rapper’s second success of the campaign in the feature prize.

Appearing to need every yard of the 3m 1f trip, the 13/2 chance wore down 11/8 favourite and last month’s Somerset National winner El Paso Wood in the closing strides to prevail by half a length under Tom O’Brien.

Following the race Daly earmarked the Grade Two National Hunt Novices’ Chase as a potential target for Rapper, providing he can find a suitable amateur rider.

Daly said: “He was basically flat out from a circuit and a half and he just wants a trip, or softer ground.

“He has won off top weight of 137 and that is what steeplechasing is all about. He jumped well and kept at it.

“He might have to go to the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham but I’ve no idea who we would get to ride him.

“It was slightly on my mind but I did look at the issue of jockeys as the pool of category B jockeys is small.”

Chester Williams hopes to be racing’s equivalent of former Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish in the future, however he showed no intentions of slowing up in the saddle before mixing riding with training judging by his victory on Honneur D’Ajonc.

After announcing that he will be taking over from his father Nick Williams’ in the next couple of years the 24 year old celebrated victory number 20 for the campaign aboard the 5/6 Favourite, who claimed division one of the Peckmoor Farm Lodges Novices’ Hurdle (2m) by three quarters of a length.

The winning rider said “He is in the winning spirit at the moment. Looking back I didn’t realise how well Tom Scudamore’s horse was travelling. I was always trying to save a little bit in front. He has picked up when the other horse has come to him.

“I was able to get an easy lead and save a bit in front so that if something came to me, I’d hopefully still have a little bit up my sleeve. Maybe the second horse is a little bit inexperienced whereas mine is battle-hardened now.”

Regarding his next adventure, Williams likened it to the player-manager former Scotland international Dalglish carried out with Liverpool between 1985 and 1990.

He added: “It will be over the next year that I take over from dad as I’ve only done one of my three courses at the Racing School. Nothing massively changes at home, just the name on the license really.

“Hopefully I will still be riding as it is going well at the moment so hopefully I can continue doing it as long as people want to keep using me.

“Kenny Dalglish managed it, and although I’m probably not quite him we will give it a go.”

Frere D’Armes (2/9 Favourite) dispatched off his rivals with the minimum of fuss to set up a step up in class when running out a facile six and a half-length winner of the second division of the 2m contest.

Tom Messenger, assistant to winning trainer Dan Skelton, said: “He has won his two novice hurdles so he is now going to have to step up in class. There are a few options for him.

“We thought he would nearly win at Ludlow so it was not a surprise to see him run well there. He built on that at Huntingdon and he seems to have run to that level again today to show it was no fluke.

“He doesn’t have to make the running but Harry (Skelton) said it is imperative that he has a good gallop.”

Members of The Perfect Partnership insisted they would be “guided” by trainer Jonjo O’Neill following the debut success under Rules of Dollar Bae, who claimed the Bet At racingtv.com Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race by two lengths.

Paul Penney, partnership member, said of the 7/2 chance: “Jonjo (O’Neill, trainer) got her in great shape and Jonjo (O’Neill Jr, jockey) did the business.

“She has got a great attitude and doesn’t like to be headed. That is what they say at home and that she wants to keep up with the boys.

“We thought as it was her first run under Rules she had a chance of being in the placings and build from that experience and we were more than rewarded.

“We are very easily guided and will take advice from the trainer what to do next.”

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