Bet365 Gold Cup

IT’S “just a handicap”, they might say, but there is little doubt that the highlight of the final day of the jumps season is the Bet365 Gold Cup over three miles and five furlongs, and the race has produced some of the most memorable finishes in the history of National Hunt racing. Most notably the iconic 1984 renewal when the Queen Mother’s Special Cargo prevailed in a three-way photograph over Lettoch and Diamond Edge.

Nothing has quite matched that drama since, but the latest renewal came wonderfully close, and when Havaila (Gary & Josh Moore/Caoilin Quinn), Our Power (Sam Thomas/Dylan Johnson) and Road To Home (Willie/Patrick Mullins) were separated by inches with 50 yards to run, memories of four decades ago came flooding back. At the line, they finished in that order, with a short-head and a neck the margins in a finish which exceeded all expectations.

Sandown has happy associations for the Moore/Quinn combination, with this win following the success of Mondo Man in the Imperial Cup, and Havaila was well supported as the 5/1 second favourite behind Road To Home before pouncing late after being given a typically patient ride by his confident rider.

“Caoilin gave him a great ride because he’s not easy,” said Gary Moore.

“He switched him off and travelled, travelled, travelled all the way round, and managed to just get there in the end.

“I thought he had enough to do, he had a lot of ground to make up but he did it.”

Edwardstone defies father time with strong finish

Bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1)

THE Grade 1 Celebration Chase was weakened by the withdrawal of Jonbon due to quick ground and the race itself was marred by a fatal injury to favourite Thistle Ask, who sustained an untreatable injury to a foreleg when landing awkwardly at the seventh fence.

It understandably took away from what should have been a hugely popular success for the veteran Edwardstone (Alan King/Tom Cannon) who defied an SP of 11/1 with a strong-finishing win over JPR One (Joe Tizzard/Brendan Powell).

Winner of the Arkle in 2022 and the Tingle Creek later that year, Edwardstone was turning the clock back with a game performance and it’s just unfortunate that it was overshadowed by the sense of sadness regarding what had happened during the contest.

Edwardstone was waited with as Thistle Ask and Solness disputed the lead and he moved up as JPR One took over at the Pond Fence, chasing the runner-up from the penultimate fence and leading narrowly after the last, only to have to find more as JPR One rallied gamely to keep the margin to a hard-fought head.

Keen to continue

Retirement was mooted for Edwardstone after he won the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton in January, but King is keen to continue with Edwardstone as long as he is still enjoying himself.

Paying tribute to the winner, King said: “Just walking back in with him today, the crowd have been absolutely superb. He’s a special horse. That was very special today. “He’s been in great form and he’d never been so quick in his life around Plumpton last time and he’s been a different horse since.

“He’s jumped away again today. He was a bit long at one down the far side but that is him.

“He must have been up the hill on our gallop at home several thousand times I’d say and he still attacks it every morning - that’s why I want to keep going with him.

“He’ll tell me when he’s had enough - at the moment he’s still enjoying it; what else would we do with him? Sonny Somers was winning races at 18 and Mac Vidi was third in a Gold Cup at 15.”

Doyen sets seal on Skelton’s season

DAN Skelton collected the trophy for Champion Jumps Trainer before racing on Saturday and he broke through the £5 million prize-money mark for the season in style when 11/4 shot Doyen Quest (Harry Skelton) landed the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase, prompting his jockey to pull out his trademark “aeroplane” celebration as he passed the post three lengths to the good of favourite Blow Your Wad (Gary & Josh Moore/Freddie Mitchell).

The trainer started the card in the way he meant to continue by saddling the first two home in the fillies’ juvenile handicap hurdle and became the first trainer ever to hit the £5m mark in earnings when bringing up the double.

“It’s brilliant, I’m so proud,” he said. “It was a brilliant ride from Harry and he’s a horse we’ve had since he was a baby. It’s just so cool.

“All the staff are down here and it’s a wonderful day. I can’t explain, I’m overflowing.”

Already planning the defence of his trainers’ title, Skelton said: “I’ll try to aim for £4m in prize money again, because that feels like a good defensive number for a championship.

“It means the likes of Willie have to go to a place they haven’t gone before – I find myself here because he pushed us into that position.

“We had to set something that was above what he’d done, because if not, I’d have just been a follow-up all my life.”

Henderson is not feeling so Blue

IN the absence of overnight favourite Kabral Du Mathan, the Grade 2 Select Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles saw Jingko Blue (Nicky Henderson/James Bowen) get back to winning ways as he added to his Cheltenham Festival success in the MGM Cup by beating stablemate Lucky Place (Nico de Boinville) by a comfortable three lengths after making all the running.

Henderson has had a mixed season by his standards, but he still secured third in the trainers’ championship, while owners Tony and Donna Barney of Countrywide Park Homes have also seen their colours carried to victory at Aintree by Jango Baie who also hit the frame in the King George and Gold Cup.

Jingko Blue, who was returned the 5/6 favourite, is one of only four horses they have in training, with three of those successful during the season.

Gordon looks to future

Chris Gordon is another trainer who has enjoyed his best campaign, and he capped that achievement when landing the £100,000 novices’ handicap hurdle final with Cosmic Connection (Sam Twiston-Davies).

The 6/1 chance only made his debut under Rules in March but has progressed run by run and impressed as he beat Race To Base (Nick Scholfield/Jack Quinlan) by three and a quarter lengths in the valuable contest.

Gordon also saddled fourth-placed Kocktail Bleu to end the season with £665,369 in total prize money, just bettering the total he achieved in 2022-23.

Cosmic Connection won a point-to-point as recently in January for Donnchadh Doyle and he has done well to adapt to a different discipline so quickly, and looks one to follow next season, when a step up in trip is likely to bring about further progress from the son of Getaway.