Ascot Saturday

Howden Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1)

THE Long Walk Hurdle was the Grade 1 feature at Ascot on Saturday, and it did not disappoint, with the surprise return to hurdles of Champ (Nicky Henderson/Jonjo O’Neill Jr) showing him to be the leading player in the division, while Thyme Hill (Philip Hobbs/Tom O’Brien) and Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle/Tom Bellamy) returned to form to fill the places.

There was a concern that the race might lose its lustre with the withdrawal of Buzz on Friday after the Ascot Hurdle winner fractured his pelvis on the gallops, but the race very much whetted the appetite for the end of the season, even if the winner’s presence in the field was a bit of a surprise.

Nicky Henderson had announced a couple of earlier targets for Champ over fences before announcing that he had run out of time to find a suitable chase for the 2021 Game Spirit winner.

Those running the Tote might consider opening a pool on which races Champ will run in next season, as it’s certainly more interesting than the placepot.

Held up early, the well-backed 4/1 chance impressed with the efficiency of his jumping, and he cruised through to take the lead from Ronald Pump before the turn.

Although Thyme Hill threatened to come with a strong run from the rear, Champ was not for weakening, and held a comfortable lead of a length and three quarters at the post. Paisley Park is not the force of old, but he battled on willingly to take third, a further three and a half lengths behind.

Best performance

This represented Champ’s best performance over hurdles, although he was a dual Grade 1 winner as a novice. In winning here, he was providing Jonjo O’Neill Jr with a first Grade 1 win as a rider, and he can expect more opportunities in the green and gold hoops of J.P. McManus.

Despite the win, the young rider was self-deprecating, feeling that he had gone on too soon, and that willingness to accept fault even in victory will serve him well.

Annsam eases pain for Evan

THE weekend started on a heartbreaking note for Evan Williams, with news of a gallops accident which claimed the life of flag-bearer Silver Streak, who had been due to defend his Christmas Hurdle crown.

Such a blow cannot be underestimated, and will be felt sorely by the team at Fingerpost Farm, but it was softened to a degree by the win of Annsam (Adam Wedge) in the Listed Howden Silver Cup (formerly the SGB Chase in days of yore).

Sent off at 7/1 on his return to chasing, Annsam had to prove himself over the three-mile trip, but he put any stamina doubts to bed with an attacking performance.

Close up from the outset, he led briefly at halfway, and forged on again before the home turn to come home four and theee-quarter lengths ahead of J.P. McManus pair Phoenix Way and Jerrysback.

This opens up options for the six-year-old son of Black Sam Bellamy, and his trainer admitted afterwards that he was wrong to criticise the handicapper for putting the horse on a mark of 139 for winning a novice chase at Ludlow 12 months ago.

Gordon Elliott has found this meeting a happy hunting ground in the past and struck in the with the well-backed Ardhill, always looking in command under Adam Wedge in the opening three-mile hurdle to win by seven and a half lengths.

With form figures of 30009-0, rated 104, and backed from 16/1 down to 4s, the trainer said regarding the apparent improvement in form, that gelding appeared to have benefitted from the application of first-time blinkers, which had allowed him to travel better on this occasion, and had also appreciated the good to soft, soft in places ground with the majority of his recent runs having come on heavy ground.

Tritonic on top

Tritonic (Alan King/Adrian Heskin) was much touted after winning his first two starts over hurdles last season.

While a tad disappointing since, he is probably a better horse at Ascot than at Cheltenham, having finished runner-up at the Royal meeting as a three-year-old, and gained his first win over timber at this track in January.

All three defeats over hurdles since have come at Prestbury Park, and while he’s not been disgraced, he does appear more of a force going right-handed, and he backed that theory up with quite a comfortable win in the Grade 3 Betfair Exchange Trophy.

Held up amongst runners for much of the race, Tritonic travelled notably well, and when Heskin asked the 8/1 shot for everything between the last two hurdles, the response was decisive, with the son of Sea The Moon keeping on stoutly to beat the Gerry Feilden winner Onemorefortheroad (Neil King/Bryony Frost) by two and three-quarter lengths.

Garry Clermont (Jonjo O’Neill/Jonjo Jr) travelled as well as anything, but spoiled his winning chance by hanging left, eventually finishing a three-and-a-quarter-length third.

He also jumped left in the closing stages here on his previous start, and may do better returned to a left-handed track, with the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury an obvious target.

Haydock Saturday

DR Richard Newland’s Enqarde was travelling enthusiastically when unseating Cillin Leonard in the Tommy Whittle Chase last year, and while it’s hard to say how he would have fared, he certainly made amends in last Saturday’s renewal, with Charlie Hammond steering the 8/1 shot to an impressive 10-length win from just 4lb higher in the weights.

Enqarde and Remastered (David Pipe/Tom Scudamore) had the race to themselves from some way out, but it was the seven-year-old who saw it out best in receipt of 18lb from the runner-up, himself looking unlucky when falling in the Ladbrokes Trophy when seemingly travelling best.

Round-up

Haute Estime was a narrow winner of the mares’ novice hurdle at Haydock for Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox, although she looked lucky to score after Alan King’s Nina The Terrier was produced too late by Gavin Sheehan.

This was a poorly judged ride by Sheehan, but he set out to redeem himself and did so to some extent as Up For Parol landed a gamble in the two-mile-and-three-furlong handicap hurdle.

Stuart Crawford has a fine record at Ayr, and he typically went home from Tuesday’s meeting with a memento as Ballycoose landed the two-mile maiden hurdle under James Bowen.

A non-runner at the track’s previous meeting, the Munir and Souede-owned four-year-old should have a bright future for the Larne stable. He was maintaining an unbeaten record having won a bumper at Down Royal in May.