Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase

WHAT does €740,000 buy you? For a long time it looked like one of the most disappointing big-money spends at public auction, but Caldwell Potter (7/1) announced that his future is still a bright one with a dominant, front-running performance in the newly-revamped Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Paul Nicholls and the Ferguson-Mason-Hales-Done-Hogarth ownership group have taken plenty of stick for buying the former Gordon Elliott-trained Grade 1 winner at such an extraordinary sum from the 2024 Caldwell dispersal, so this would have made for extremely sweet viewing.

The immaculately-bred grey’s jumping was electric, and he had the race in his pocket at the last before keeping the margin to six and a half lengths at the line.

Anyway massively outran his odds of 125/1 for Ken Budds and Darragh O’Keeffe in second, with 66/1 shot O’Moore Park (Willie Mullins) and long-range 9/1 fancy Nurburgring (Joseph O’Brien) completing an Irish 2-3-4.

Speaking after bringing up his 50th Festival winner under Harry Cobden, Nicholls said: “We switched him into John Hales’ colours - I don’t think the other boys even knew we were doing that - and [wife] Pat’s delighted, obviously. It’s taken a long while to get him right - he’s done some good work at home, he’s had problems with his feet, and that’s all sort of disappeared of late.

“We always had a positive plan; he jumps brilliantly. Everyone was telling me what to do and what not to do, trip-wise, and I felt he wanted a trip. I think he’d gallop forever, and it’s just good to get him back.

“When they come through that front gate they’re all worth the same, you’ve just got to work away and get them right, and today he was right. They just need time and a bit of patience and you need to learn about them.

“I never thought I’d train 50 Festival winners when I started. It’s fantastic - any winner here is fantastic, and if you get a winner here, anything on top of that is a bonus. It hasn’t been the best season for us; I do not know why, some of the horses have been wrong, and some and right, and the ones which are right run well. John was such a brilliant supporter of mine and friend, and for a lot of people in racing. To win in his colours is unbelievable - what a day.”

Pertemps Network Final

TEN years on from his first success in the race, Nicky Henderson doubled his tally in the Pertemps Final - though not with the one the market expected.

Doddiethegreat battled on gamely under Brian Hughes to spring a 25/1 surprise in the three-mile event, proving a length and three quarters too strong for stablemate Jeriko Du Reponet, the 11/2 favourite.

Feet Of A Dancer, trained by Paul Nolan, made up ground from a long, long way off the pace to finish best of the Irish contingent in fourth.

Speaking after his 75th Festival success, Henderson said: “I feel sorry for James Bowen [suspended due to a whip rule breach] as we are missing him this week. Brian rode him in his qualifier and finished second and I said to the boys why don’t we leave him on the horse? They said he will have six rides at Catterick so he won’t come down and ride this, but he did and it was great.

“They got on well together at Haydock and without James being here we thought we might as well leave him on board. Nico was probably always going to ride Jeriko and you have to sympathise with him as that horse has run a terrific race as well. The only person happy coming to the last for once was me because you could actually see nothing was coming out of the pack to annoy them. It was a comfortable position to be in.”

TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase

WHAT should have been one of the toughest handicaps of the week to solve ended up seeing the big two fight it out, with well-backed 3/1 favourite Jagwar proving well ahead of his mark of 139 for J.P. McManus, Jonjo O’Neill Jr and the Oliver Greenall-Josh Guerriero training partnership.

A tussle between the pair resulted in the British-trained six-year-old prevailing by two and three quarter lengths, and the victory was keenly felt by the winning rider.

“He’s a huge horse who has always had ability, it’s just his jumping has been a bit of his Achilles heel,” said O’Neill Jr.

“The boys, Oliver and Josh, have done a magnificent job with him. Fences have really been the making of him.”

He added: “Listen, It’s a job I really enjoy and it’s fantastic. I had my first Festival winner six years ago [with Early Doors in the 2019 Martin Pipe], and it’s felt like a lifetime. But a month ago, since poor old Mikey [O’Sullivan] died, I definitely have a different perspective on life.

“We lost Springwell Bay in the first and that was really upsetting. When you’ve got someone with such a beautiful soul as Michael passing away, this is just sport at the end of the day. The lads, the English and Irish lads, have been under a massive cloud the last month.

“Michael touched so many people in 24 years, anyone would have been so jealous of that in their entire lifetime. You can just tell by the way people are, how upsetting it is. Although this is a great day, we are just thinking of Michael and his family, because not only was he such a good rider, he was a really, really good friend to a lot of people. I actually wore his Cork flag in this race as I felt I needed a little bit of luck. “I said a couple of prayers to Michael last night and this morning, just for a hand, and he’s really come up trumps. It’s been a mental week; with Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty winning yesterday.

“It’s been a very, very poignant week. Michael has had a fitting tribute, and it’s very much deserved.”