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Epatante regained her Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle crown in style as she came home clear in the Kempton Grade 1 on Sunday.
Epatante wins her second Grade 1 @Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle and in some style under @NdeBoinville, following up from her success in 2019 to hand trainer @sevenbarrows a record tenth victory in the race ???? pic.twitter.com/xmFvMbbsYk
— Kempton Park Racecourse (@kemptonparkrace) December 26, 2021
Nicky Henderson’s charge landed the prize in 2019 before going on to Champion Hurdle glory the following spring, but she suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Silver Streak last term and could finish only third at Cheltenham in March.
The mare underwent back surgery over the summer and having dead-heated with the reopposing Not So Sleepy in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last month, she made sure of outright victory here under Nico de Boinville.
Epatante (4/5 favourite) stepped up to challenge Not So Sleepy with three to jump and the result hardly looked in doubt from that point onwards.
She just had to gallop out to the line, prevailing by two and a quarter lengths from staying-on 28/1 shot Glory And Fortune.
?? "She's a good mare."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 26, 2021
Great to hear from owner JP McManus who reflects on the victory of Epatante & Broomfield Burg at @kemptonparkrace this afternoon pic.twitter.com/D4Ol5gTipy
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