Bet365 Gold Cup

WE knew he was tough, having been placed in two of the calendar’s most competitive staying chases last spring, but the Christian Williams-trained Kitty’s Light - second to handicap blot Win My Wings in last year’s Scottish Grand National before an excellent third to the remarkable Hewick in the Bet365 Gold Cup - took the idea of durability to an altogether different plateau a year on, winning the four miles and one furlong Eider Chase, going one better in the Scottish National and backing up just seven days later in the latest running of the Bet365 Gold Cup.

Kitty’s Light - sent off the clear favourite at 11/4 - was typically waited with under Jack Tudor, and the little flat-bred gelding largely avoided errors again as he worked stylishly into the contest.

With two to jump, he only had Moroder (Seamus Mullins/Micheal Nolan) to pass. Jumping alongside that rival at the final fence, he skipped up the final hill to score by two and a half lengths. Revels Hill (Harry Fry/Kevin Brogan) finished a further five and a half lengths back in third, with The Goffer (Gordon Elliott/Sean Bowen) making late headway into fourth.

Williams, on another hugely emotional occasion for himself and his family, summed up the task in hand and the importance of the day.

“Coming into today there were lots of negatives and we put ourselves under pressure running him again just a week later, but we’ve had the horse since he was a yearling and Jack knows him well. We know that when we give him a chance, he will do something special.

Constitution

“His constitution is unbelievable and at this time of year he comes into himself. It’s hard to get him right for 12 months of the year and it’s hard to get these horses right and they tend to just come into themselves.

“There was no plan, he just came out of the race so well. We just felt that he’s a special horse and we wanted to give him the opportunity to do something that not many horses have done [only Hot Weld in 2007 had previously won the Scottish National and the Bet365 Gold Cup].”

Referring to daughter Betsy’s ongoing treatment for leukaemia, Williams went on: “We’ve got tough times ahead but we’re lucky to be involved in this sport and to see the joy it brings with Betsy, Charlotte and all the family at home is just a big lift. It’s all down to this horse.

“People talk about the jockey and the trainer, but the horse is the one who gives us these days and gives us so much joy.”

Bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1)

NICKY Henderson’s Jonbon (Aidan Coleman) was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase on Saturday, and duly justified odds of 8/13 in beating Captain Guinness (Henry de Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore) by three and three-quarter lengths, but he did so after giving his backers a scare or two along the way.

He led until the turn into the back straight where Coleman allowed him to find his own stride at what is a tricky, downhill fence, and Jonbon plunged at the fence and propped on landing, knocking him back in the field.

He was careful at the next, briefly leaving him last of all, but his rider allowed him to recover his composure, and he made ground over the Railway Fences, so that he was on the heels of Greaneteen, who in turn was chasing new leader Captain Guinness as the field turned towards the Pond Fence.

Although Captain Guinness led at that crucial obstacle, Jonbon was just half a length behind and back on an even keel, and he was clearly travelling best as the pair straightened up for the last two fences.

Coleman wisely delayed his challenge until between the last two, stoking his mount up and into a decisive lead at the final obstacle, and keeping him going for an ultimately decisive victory, although appearing all out at the finish.

This was far from a perfect performance, but in taking the step up to open Grade 1 company in his stride, he’s setting a solid basis for the 2023/’24 season, when he could challenge for either the Champion Chase or the Ryanair.

Henderson felt that softening ground did not help Jonbon when beaten by El Fabiolo in the Arkle, but he’s quickly snaffled another brace of Grade 1 wins, and the trainer is looking forward to a rematch next term:

“Two years ago, it was Energumene versus Shishkin. Now the next dust-up is going to be El Fabiolo and Jonbon. I was mighty impressed with El Fabiolo the other day. We have proved today we can take on the best two-milers.

“Today bar one he was excellent, and he will be excellent again at Cheltenham I hope next year and there is a lot to look forward to.”

Oaksey Chase

HEWICK (Shark Hanlon/Rachael Blackmore) put the seal on a tremendous 12 months by taking the Oaksey Chase on Saturday, having swerved a clash with Galopin des Champs and Fastorslow in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Winner of the Bet365 Gold Cup last year, Hanlon was concerned about softer ground and opted for the slightly easier pickings of the Grade 2 contest over two and three quarter miles.

Hewick, the warm favourite at 6/5, looked to have things in hand when leading his field going out on the final circuit, but a mistake at the second fence in the back straight knocked him back, and Blackmore had to nurse him through the Railway Fences, allowing First Flow (Kim Bailey/David Bass) to take control, and the pair were still in front approaching the last fence.

Hewick put in a big leap there, however, and despite veering right in the air, passed a tiring First Flow as they landed, and stormed up the hill to win by four lengths.

Hanlon had a twinkle in his eye as he teased TV viewers about the immediate plans for Hewick, saying: “I’ve something planned, but I’m not going to say it yet. You will see it in time. I’ve a plan going out for him in six weeks’ time.

“It won’t be in England or Ireland. He will have to go back to America, but we might go somewhere else with him.

“Have horse, will travel.”

THE final day of the 2022/’23 jumps season also saw four champions receive their awards at Sandown on Saturday. They are:

Hughes took the champion jockey title for a third time with 163 winners, almost half of which were supplied by Donald McCain, while Morgan became champion conditional with 46 winners this season, with the majority (37) supplied by Ben Pauling, with whom Morgan has built up an excellent partnership.

Paul Nicholls was gaining a 14th trainers’ championship, one less than his old rival Martin Pipe, and although he had a modest day by his standards, the prize money won by Knappers Hill (Harry Cobden) in the Grade 2 Select Hurdle was just enough for him to beat his previous best haul of prize money, set in the 2007/’08 season. His total of £3,646,585 in earnings was just £44 higher than his previous best.

McManus, in whose colours Under Control, Jonbon and Crebilly supplied a treble on Saturday at Sandown, was gaining a seventh consecutive owners’ championship, with a total of £2,256,956 in prize money won.