Haydock Saturday
THE Grade 2 William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle ought to provide a clue to the Stayers’ Hurdle given its conditions and place in the calendar, but that has not been the case for some time.
While it has fallen to the likes of Reve De Sivola and Zarkandar, both of those were veterans at the time of their wins, and again, this year’s winner doesn’t appear to be a player at Cheltenham.
That is to take nothing away from 9/2 winner Third Wind (Hughie Morrison/Tom Cannon) who was well placed by his handler to take advantage of the concession of weight from the placed horses.
Placed in a competitive handicap here in November, Third Wind could make no impact in the Grade 1 Long Walk at Ascot, but showed his true worth here in challenging after the last to get the better of last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar (Rebecca Curtis/Sean Bowen) by three-quarters of a length.
The runner-up was one and three-quarter lengths ahead of On The Blind Side, one of three 4/1 co-favourites.
Handicapper
Third Wind is entered in both the Coral Cup and Pertemps Final next month, but the handicapper has raised him 7lb to 153 for this success, and he won’t find his new mark easy.
Lisnagar Oscar was arguably back to his best on his first start after wind surgery, so can be given a fair chance in his bid to repeat last year’s 50/1 success in the Stayers’, albeit with this year’s race stronger on paper.
ALAPHILIPPE (Fergal O’Brien/Paddy Brennan) ran out an easy 14-length winner of the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, but the race was robbed of much of its interest when leader Young Buck stumbled and unseated Sean Bowen at the third last flight. He had just struck for home at the time, but the eventual winner – returned second favourite at 10/3 – was travelling ominously.
The fact that both Mint Condition and Beatthebullet were hampered in that incident makes the race a little hard to rate.
In the end it was the exposed Mr Harp (Thomas Gallagher/Jack Quinlan) who filled the runner-up spot, with Tupelo Mississippi (Brian Ellison/Sean Quinlan) inheriting third.
Five starts
That pair were left on their pre-race marks of 126 and 125 respectively, which tells a tale, but the winner cannot be blamed for the failings of his rivals and has now won all but one of his five starts since switching from point-to-points.
Paddy Brennan was succinct afterwards, describing the winner as “awesome”, and no doubt the Albert Bartlett (Spa) Hurdle beckons in a few weeks, where the experience he gained between the flags will be a benefit to him.
Mudlark Mesnil makes all to win
RUNNER-UP in the William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap 12 months previously, Lord Du Mesnil was well prepped by Richard Hobson to go one better this time, the eight-year-old stepping up on previous efforts this season to make almost all the running.
He proved game in withstanding the late challenge of Achille (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) by half a length, with seven and a half lengths back to the consistent The Two Amigos (Nicky Martin/James Bowen), who had been the winner’s closest pursuer for much of the race.
Of those who failed to complete, fancied pair Sojourn and Notachance were in the wars, with the former sustaining a wound to his off-hind and the latter found to be lame behind when the pair were examined post-race.
Perfect Candidate, a grand servant to connections at the age of 14, was given honourable retirement after showing signs that age had finally caught him up.
Soft ground
Richard Hobson nominated the Grand National as the winner’s aim but reiterated that he needs to have soft or deeper ground, and this was the first time he had had conditions to suit this year.
Achille deserves a mention having run a similar race to be second in both the Classic Chase at Warwick and now this on the back of a lengthy absence. In both races he has been given a beautifully judged ride by Charlie Deutsch, and has been beaten just half a length both times. His turn will come, with the Midlands National sure to suit.