Newbury Saturday

Coral Challow Hurdle (Grade 1)

CAPTAIN Teague (Harry Cobden) provided a fourth consecutive success for trainer Paul Nicholls in the Coral Challow Hurdle as he got the better of a battle with the tenacious Lookaway (Neil King/Jack Quinlan) having been well supported into 2/1 favouritism for the last Grade 1 of the calendar year.

Third in the Champion Bumper in the spring, Captain Teague impressed when landing the Grade 2 Persian War Hurdle on his debut over obstacles, and although beaten by Minella Missile in the Hyde Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next time, he was conceding 5lb to that promising winner.

His task here was made easier when overnight favourite Willmount – who was easy to back as race time approached – stopped alarmingly quickly before the home turn. Travelling best in the straight, he took over from Lookaway two out, but needed firm driving to hold his advantage as he idled in front, and the margin of victory was a length and a half, with The Jukebox Man (Ben Pauling/Kielan Woods) and Johnnywho both staying on again to finish on the heels of the runner-up.

Learning

“He travelled well and jumped brilliantly today and he’s learning all the time,” said a satisfied Nicholls. “He just idled in front and I said to Harry if you are going well, stride on a bit and try and put the race to bed, but he wishes he had hung on a little longer because he just doesn’t do anything in front.

“He’s basically just learning all the time and he’s a lovely horse and I’m thrilled. He will keep on improving and he’s a laid-back horse. We’ve done a lot of work on his jumping, and he jumped better today. He didn’t jump that great at Cheltenham; it just comes too easy for him and he’s almost too laid-back.

“If you are talking about Cheltenham, and it was goodish ground, you wouldn’t be afraid of going three miles. If it was testing ground, this sort of trip is ideal, but soft ground is important. Bravemansgame, Stage Star and Hermes Allen all ended up being decent chasers and that is where he will be one day.”

ELSEWHERE at Newbury, Nicky Henderson’s Supreme Novices’ favourite Jeriko Du Reponet enhanced his big reputation with victory in the Coral Committed To Safer Gambling ‘Introductory’ Hurdle, with James Bowen stepping in for the injured Nico de Boinville.

The four-year-old was a taking winner on his hurdling debut at the track early last month, and was sent off 2/5 favourite to follow up, which he did comfortably from the Hughie Morrison-trained Secret Squirrel.

Leading into the straight, Jeriko Du Reponet was challenged by Paradias and Secret Squirrel from the penultimate flight, but wasn’t hard pressed to maintain his advantage, and passed the post a length and three quarters in front of the latter, with useful flat handicapper Paradias third.

“I didn’t really want to make the running on my own as he is still inexperienced and thankfully Gary Moore’s horse [Officer Of State] went forward,” said James Bowen. “We hacked around, but once I gave him a squeeze, he really quickened for me. He’s good.”

Cheltenham New Year’s Day

LIFE has not always gone smoothly for Bob Olinger in the past couple of years, but he has found Cheltenham a happy hunting ground, and got back to his best when landing the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle in impressive style for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, having spent some time under the care of former Gold Cup-winning rider Robbie Power, now in charge of placing de Bromhead’s runners.

The win was doubly important for owner Brian Acheson as he was sponsoring the contest and Bob Olinger was the first horse to carry the colours of Robcour (an amalgamation of the names of Acheson’s children) to Grade 1 glory.

Winner of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Turners Novices’ Chase at previous Cheltenham Festivals, he seemed to lose his way subsequently, but was back to winning ways in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November and built on that performance to beat 2023 winner Marie’s Rock (Nicky Henderson/James Bowen) by seven lengths.

Held up last as the four runners raced in single file until grouping together at the penultimate flight, Bob Olinger looked on good terms with himself and the only momentary concern was when his path was blocked by Brewin’upastorm two furlongs out, causing Blackmore to take back briefly. He was able to squeeze past just before the final flight, however, and sprinted up the hill to win with plenty to spare.

“He was really fantastic today and jumped the best he has ever jumped,” said Blackmore. “He carried me into the race beautifully.

“He rode like the horse I thought he was and he obviously lost his way a little bit last season, but it’s great to get him back finishing up the hill at Cheltenham like that.

“I could feel I had a lot of horse underneath me and that is a great feeling when you are at the bottom of the hill at Cheltenham.

“It was a really good performance, and he has taken a good step forward from his first run at Navan. A lot of work has gone into him from an awful lot of people. Big thanks to Henry and everyone down at Knockeen.”

Power, representing de Bromhead, said: “It was always going to be a tactical race with just four runners and it’s always better to get the stands’ rail. Rachael was keen to get it and no-one was going to stop her, but you need the horse.

“He came to my place in February and was there until October. There’s been a lot of work from vets and physios and we have him back now, hopefully. That was a very good performance.

“We just sweetened him up, got his confidence back and let him believe he is good again and he has shown today that he does think he’s good again. He beat Marie’s Rock giving her 7lb and that is a very good performance.

“He will have an entry for the Champion Hurdle but taking on Constitution Hill is probably unlikely so Aintree may be his big target.”

STUMPTOWN (Keith Donoghue) was a big improver this time last year, and Gavin Cromwell’s seven-year-old proved better than ever when landing the extended three-mile-one-furlong Paddy Power Handicap Chase.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time, Stumptown stepped up markedly on a modest showing in the Coral Gold Cup at Cheltenham and is likely to head for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the track in March, with this win ensuring that he will be too high in the weights for a repeat bid for the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir, in which he was second last season. Shakem Up’Arry (Ben Pauling/Ben Jones) gave former football manager Harry Redknapp his biggest win as an owner when landing the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Chase, the 10-year-old taking advantage of a poor run from race favourite Stage Star to beat the Venetia Williams-trained Frero Banbou (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) by seven and a half lengths.

Redknapp could not be at Cheltenham as he was toasting some muffins for his wife, Sandra, but he was was reportedly “over the moon” with the result.

Another Ayr fixture meant another pay-day for the Crawford brothers, who landed a treble on Tuesday’s card with Ballycoose and Joshua Des Flos winning under Daryl Jacob for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, while Ailie Rose landed the feature handicap hurdle with JJ Slevin in the plate to make it a treble on the day for the Larne outfit.