THE Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunter Chases are on the agenda for the former Gigginstown House Stud-owned Don Poli who recorded his first success since landing the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December 2015, in the men’s open at Alnwick on Sunday.
Sent off 5/4 favourite in the nine-strong field, the 10-year-old Poliglote gelding won by 12 lengths and one a half lengths from the only other finishers, Dark Mahler and One Conemara. Don Poli ran in the colours of Darren Yates who gave £170,000 for the bay at Goffs Aintree Sale on the eve of this year’s Grand National where he came home last of the 19 finishers before pulling up in the BoyleSports Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
Don Poli, who won two other Grade 1 races, the RSA Chase at Cheltenham and the Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown, is now in the care of Nick Pearce and was ridden on Sunday by Tristan Durrell, an amateur in Dan Skelton’s yard.
There were four other Irish-bred winners at this Ratcheugh Racing Club fixture and Cheltenham is also the target for Buck Dancing who claimed the ladies’ open under his trainer, Jessica Bedi. The 10-year-old King’s Theatre gelding won by five lengths from the Joe O’Shea-trained favourite, Irish Anthem.
On his third start in a British point-to-point, the seven-year-old Darsi gelding Manitowoc County, who ran four times on the track for Brian Ellison but is now trained by Cherry Coward, won the conditions race in the hands of Jack Andrews. The bay started his career in Ireland with Denis Murphy for whom he won a Tinahely maiden in October 2016.
Teal double
Jack Teal partnered the winners of the two divisions of the three-mile maiden. His first success came on the Anthony Ross-owned and trained newcomer Take Your Time, a four-year-old Dubai Destination gelding who was bred by Gabriel O’Gara out of the Pistolet Bleu mare Don’t Be Bleu. Ross paid €7,000 for the bay at the 2018 Tattersalls Ireland August Sale. Teal’s double came up on the French-bred Dynamite Kentucky who he trains himself.
The restricted was won by the Will Ramsey-owned, trained and ridden Alone No More who was having his first start in a British point-to-point. The seven-year-old Gold Well gelding won a Taylorstown maiden in May 2017 when trained by Colin Bowe after which he joined Rose Dobbin but showed little in four starts over hurdles.
The British season resumes on Friday, December 27th with the Hawkaway Club meeting at Chaddesley Corbett, while the Cambridge Harriers are due to run at Cottenham two days later.
THERE was much sadness among British point-to-point riders this week following the news that valet David Sunderland had died on Sunday night, just hours after being on duty at the international meeting at Barbury racecourse.
Facebook messages included the following from G&T Racing (Gina Andrews and husband Tom Ellis): “We were extremely saddened to hear that popular valet David Sunderland passed away yesterday evening, just hours after being on duty at Barbury Racecourse doing what he loved most.
“David was a hugely popular figure in the weighing room and was a friend to so many people in the pointing world. He looked after Thomas, Gina and Jack on many occasions and he was also a guest at our wedding – where he hit the dance floor with a vengeance (and a huge smile on his face)!
“He will be greatly missed in the South Midlands area and beyond, and he will be a hard act to follow.”