Windsor Friday reports, reaction and free video replays from the Winter Millions card

Lee joy as Lion roars again

Kerry Lee almost lost her voice after roaring home stable star Nemean Lion to another notable success in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle.

The admirable eight-year-old enhanced his position as stable flagbearer at the Presteigne-trainer’s yard when getting the better of a real battle in the £100,000 contest to secure his second win of the campaign.

Tracking the pace throughout the early stages of the two and a half mile test the 85/40 favourite moved into contention as the field entered the home straight for the final time and faced up to the final two hurdles.

After jumping the second last in behind the sparring pair of Salver and Blueking D’Oroux the gelded son of Golden Horn joined in that battle at the last with the the three clearing the final flight almost in a line.

As Blueking D’Oroux wilted it was left to Salver and Nemean Lion to slug it out up the run in. And after a protracted battled it was the Nemean Lion, who contested both the Grade One Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle last season, that emerged victorious by half-a-length.

Lee said: “He has been an absolute superstar. I screamed that one home. It was only a little race the other day at Hereford, but it was there for the taking. You have to turn up on those days and if you're not in it you can’t win it. It was really well deserved.

“He loves being a racehorse and he is so much fun. He is immaculately behaved and he has an amazing personality. He loves being in training and he loves life in Herefordshire as does something a bit different every day. He loves going out in the field. He is such a star. I think he has really thrived since he has moved to us. Now he is an eight year old he has just grown and matured into himself as well.

“I know he has been on the go a long time, but he really does enjoy the pace of life with us. As a flat horse he was always going flat out. He had to work really hard to win that race, but he is a true battler.

And following the race Lee hinted that Nemean Lion could now return to Wincanton next month to defend his title in the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle.

She added: “He is a Kingwell Hurdle winner already and he has some good form in Grade Ones. We will certainly look at the Kingwell with him, but I don't want to be quite as hard on him as I was last season as I think I over raced him last season and I don’t want to make the same mistake again. I shouldn’t have done Cheltenham and Aintree last season. I think that was too much for the horse as he had already had a hard race in the Lanzarote. He enjoys himself so much at home he is a hard horse to gauge because he comes out and shows everything every day. We certainly hope there is more mileage in him. Will Roseff has been a very long and loyal supporter so we are lucky to have him.”

Windsor first for Skelton

Dan Skelton can now add training a winner at Windsor to his CV after Panic Attack put in a polished display on her return to fences in the Lets Bet Personal With Fitzdares Mares’ Handicap Chase.

After a couple of near misses earlier in the card the Grade One winning handler finally struck gold with the daughter of Canford Cliffs, who made her third start for the yard a successful one in the two and a half mile test.

A dual Listed winner in the past, things haven’t been plain sailing for the Bryan Drew-owned nine year old in recent times, but she was not to be denied another moment back centre stage when proving a cut above her rivals.

Sent off the 15/8 favourite to regain the winning thread Panic Attack duly obliged when coasting home by five lengths from Mayhem Mia to set up a potential return to Listed company at Exeter next month.

Skelton said: “I made the entry for this race two and a half weeks ago just thinking I better have her entered just in case as she had old form over fences. It is only in the last 10 days where we thought she had really started to blossom now. We gave her a jump over fences a couple of days ago, and she jumped lovely. Everything suited her today. I’m delighted with how it has worked out for her. I think the winning margin is perhaps an inflation as I don’t think that is a stark reality, but the handicapper is entitled to give her a good lump.

"I don’t think that is a 15lbs superior performance or anything else like that so hopefully the handicapper is a little realistic. Those couple of hurdle runs just put her in good shape as she had a long time off. At Newbury over two miles the other day she was staying through the line. We stepped her up in trip back over fences and it was all meant to be.

“I think two and a half miles and upwards is fine. I will give her an entry in a Listed race at Exeter in about a month, but she could even run in the Coral Trophy at Kempton Park. She will have an entry in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham. Whether that is her track I don’t know, but we will have a look.”

Morrison left rueing his luck

Hughie Morrison was left rueing his luck at Ascot with Secret Squirrel before Christmas, but that effort was quickly forgotten following his victory in the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle.

The improving six-year-old took a tumble at the last when holding third in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle on his most recent start, however there was to be no final flight dramas on this occasion.

Showing no ill effects for that spill the gelded son of Stimulation, who is owned and bred by the trainer’s wife Mary, was sent off 11-4 favourite to atone for that mishap in the £110,000 feature. As the field charged down towards the final two flights a whole host of runners appeared to hold some sort of chance, but it soon became clear after the final flight that it was Morrison’s charge who was the one to catch.

Although Kabral Du Mathan went off in pursuit of Secret Squirrel, who possesses a unique blonde mane, up the run in his efforts were not enough with two lengths separating the pair as they flashed past the post.

Morrison said: “We wouldn’t have won at Ascot when he fell as I think we were beaten, but this is not a bad consultation. If we stood up at Ascot we might have gone up four pounds. You can’t always be clever. He is an extremely attractive horse who is blonde and that is for good reason as his grandfather was Double Trigger and his great grandfather was Generous and that is the way that he has come out.

“What is surprising for a horse that is quality looking for a jumper is that he is tough. Nico (de Boinville) said he is a tough horse, and he always been tough. From the day he was born he would walk up to you and knock you over. We broke him in nearly as a yearling as he was such a pain at home.”

With one valuable prize in the bag Morrison will now take aim at next month’s William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Newbury which Secret Squirrel was cut from 12/1 into 8/1 favourite for by Paddy Power.

Morrison added: “He has always been quality. He has got a bit of class about him and I was disappointed he got beaten first time out, but it has worked out well for us. As long as he is alright what was the Betfair Hurdle will be his game next.”

Paddy win delights Russell

Lucinda Russell described Derryhassen Paddy as ‘phenomenal’ after maintaining his unbeaten record with a gutsy success in the Fitzdares Berkshire Winter Million Novices’ Hurdle at Windsor.

Arriving at the track boasting a bumper win at Ayr and a debut hurdles victory at Uttoxeter to his name, the gelded son of Arctic Cosmos added to those with a battling success on his first attempt at three miles under rules.

Having enjoyed the run of the race out in front the well-supported 2/1 favourite looked booked for second place as eventual runner-up Honky Tonk Highway moved on past over the second last. However, the six-year-old gelding, who Russell part owns alongside Richard Gilbert, was not to be denied.

And with the rail to help surged up the inside of the Dan Skelton-trained mare in the closing strides before prevailing by a nose.

Russell, celebrating her first winner at the track, said: “I’ve always thought he was phenomenal. I said to Craig (Nichol, jockey) go back and look at the race as the stride that he has got they can’t live with him. He is just phenomenal. I knew that he would stay and that he would keep on battling. It is funny that Dan’s horse tried to intimidate him as he is not the sort of horse you want to try and intimidate as he is a beast.

“He is an incredible horse and I was quite impressed that Dan’s horse tried to intimidate him, but I knew that he would come back and that it wouldn’t bother him. We were contemplating running him over two miles and we were contemplating loads of things. We then said we buy these horses to run at this level. It is great fun running in smaller races, but our whole thing is to run at this level and these are the horses we want to deal with."

And a step up to Grade Two company looks to be on the cards for Derryhassen Paddy with Russell earmarking the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock Park on February 15th as his next target.

Russell added: “He is really a chaser and needs the soft ground. The ground here was great. He will probably go to Haydock Park next for the Albert Bartlett trial. I don’t know if he will go to Cheltenham or Aintree. We will look after him as it is all about when he goes chasing next season.

“He is right up there with them. I’m really pleased for Richard (Gilbert, joint owner) and I have to admit that I did buy a share in him as I love the horse so much. He is a wonderful horse.”

Westwood enters NH Chase frame

Warren Greatrex has the Cheltenham Festival on his mind for Herakles Westwood, who continued his progression over fences with victory in the Fitzdares Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

A three time winner over hurdles last season the gelded son of Saddler Maker took his record over fences to two wins from three starts with another assured round of jumping when following up his last time out Newbury success in the hands of James Bowen.

After saddling the opening winner on the card Kinross-handler Russell looked in a good position to fire in a quick fire double with leader Myretown still holding every chance at the head of the field approaching the final three fences.

However, the complexion of the three mile contest quickly changed as Myretown crashed out at the third last leaving Deafening Silence in front with Herakles Westwood as his only real serious challenger.

As Deafening Silence’s effort petered out between the final two fences quite the opposite could be said of Herakles Westwood, who after measuring the last well bounded clear to score by three and a half lengths.

Greatrex said: “He is a proper horse I think and he is improving fast. He has taken a bit of time to get everything together, but for a horse to jump a fence he is so accurate.

“What is good about him is that he is always a little bit behind the bridle so he saves so much for the end.

“As James said, and I know the other horse fell, who I hope is okay, but he had them covered. From the last, for about five strides, he sprints, and then thinks I’ve done enough. He is a very likeable horse.”

Following the victory Greatrex admitted he would now like to take aim at the National Hunt Chase at the Festival provided the eight year old gets in.

Greatrex added: “I’m thinking of the three mile five novices’ handicap chase at Cheltenham. He will get any trip. Now it is open to professionals, and it is a 0-145, he would get in off a nice weight, but getting in is my only worry.

“It just depends if we run again as he does run well fresh. That would be my thinking as I think he is made for a race like that as he is such an economical jumper, he stays very well and has a bit of class.

“It has been on the back of my mind for a bit. James said a race you would look at next season is the Welsh Grand National.”

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