Haydock Saturday

Betfair Chase (Grade 1)

DETERIORATING ground saw both Hewick and The Real Whacker withdrawn from the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, leaving a field of seven, but the race still produced a thrilling spectacle as it so often does, with Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) repeating last season’s success. The well-backed mudlark got the better of a stirring battle with favourite Grey Dawning (Dan/Harry Skelton) in attritional conditions, returning at 11/4 having attracted strong support as the rain poured down at Haydock.

Royale Pagaille went about his job in typical fashion, jumping economically and needing to be niggled to hold his advantage from a long way out. It appeared that the runner-up was travelling much better on the home turn, and he led between the last two, but the winner is nothing if not resilient and maintained his relentless gallop, as a tired mistake at the last robbed impetus from Grey Dawning.

He was not going to be repassed, having wrested the advantage back and galloped home to score by two lengths, with the pair 10 lengths clear of Bravemansgame (Paul Nicholls/Sam Twiston-Davies).This was reportedly (like Alan Brazil, I’ve heard two versions) a 100th Grade 1 winner for owner Rich Ricci, who said: “It’s fantastic. The rain came and Venetia has done a brilliant job with him. Willie has won 98 of the 100, but this meant a lot doing it here, as I love Haydock. The people here are great.

“He’s not the most talented and probably wouldn’t win the Gold Cup, but his record here is amazing. I heard Grey Dawning had gone past him and I thought he would finish second, but Charlie said he just asked him again and went past him again. It’s just unbelievable.

“The way he dug in after the last was amazing and you just dream of these moments. It would have been nice if Willie had done it, but it will keep him on his toes as well!

Can’t buy thrills

“You can make as much money as you want, but you can’t buy thrills, happiness and emotion, and that is what this sport brings, good and bad. We’ve had some great days and some horrible days and it’s these things you live for - that’s why you’re in the game and I love it.”

Venetia Williams, who went on to land a double with Fontaine Collonges in the final event, having also produced three winners in two days at Ascot, said: “It’s unbelievable because he was beaten, wasn’t he? He’s had to do all the hard work and was being a bit careful, but he’s not beaten until he’s beaten.

“He’s a horse we’re obviously very proud of and I’m thrilled Rich has got a very nice horse to carry his colours in this country. I bought him as a four-year-old and he’s very much home-grown. I knew in the summer that Rich wasn’t far off his 100th winner and it was mentioned it would be rather amusing if it occurred here!

“He’s been second in a King George, and he would have been back here last year for a third Peter Marsh, but it was abandoned. I know it’s a handicap, but that’s obviously an interesting option.

“It’s quite clear that ground is key for him to be at his very best and you don’t often get that after February and into March, but you never know – it might be different this year.”

While Royale Pagaille may go back to Kempton in four weeks, Dan Skelton ruled out the King George for Grey Dawning, but mid-week said: “He’s come out of the race so much better than we ever thought he would. Which is why we’ve left him in the race (King George) and we’ll just see how the next 10 days or so go before we start considering it strongly, if it’s appropriate to do so. We thought we’d better give ourselves the option.”

Byrnes Shoots; Byrnes scores

There was an Irish-trained winner of the Betfair Stayers’ Hurdle in the shape of 22/1 chance Shoot First (Charles Byrnes/Alex Harvey). The son of Westerner was suited by the emphasis on stamina and, having led at the third-last hurdle, he sluiced through the mud to beat well-backed favourite One Big Bang (James Owen/Calum Hogan) by two and three-quarter lengths.

Harvey said: “He came on plenty from his last run, which came after a two-year break. He is still a big and raw baby and pricked his ears when he hit the front. I think stepping up in grade he’s going to be even better and is an exciting horse.

“It was his first time on soft ground, and he handled it well, so is a typical Westerner. Charles is very good at placing his horses, so we’ll see where he goes next. He has won at Cheltenham before, so you could see him in March.”

The new training partnership of Jonjo O’Neill and son AJ has been going well, and the pair landed the Grade 2 Betfair Supports Safer Gambling Week Newton Novices’ Hurdle with 7/4 market leader Roadlesstravelled. Partnered by AJ’s older brother, Jonjo Jr, the five-year-old made it a family affair in scoring by three lengths from Country Mile (Dan/Harry Skelton), thereby maintaining his unbeaten record over hurdles.

Jonjo Sr said: “We will let him do the talking, but he is a nice horse to have. He jumped okay today, but I think he will jump better on better ground – he will be slicker. I would say he will have a break now. Personally, I think he will get further, but he is doing alright at two miles, so we’ll leave him there.

“He is a nice horse and we are delighted to have him. The owners have been really patient with him. We had to leave him off all last season, but he is a lot more relaxed now and going the right way. He is fairly lively in the mornings, but has a great attitude and loves life.”

Trelawne gains redemption

Making his first appearance since falling at the second fence when heavily backed in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival, 7/2 second-favourite Trelawne (Kim Bailey/Tom Bellamy) put that blip behind him to win the £50,000 Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase, a race which has fallen to Grey Dawning, Hitman and Bravemansgame in preceding years.

Well-placed from the outset, the eight-year-old galloped on stoutly to repel the challenge of race favourite Iroko (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero/Jonjo O’Neill) by half a length.

Successful trainer Kim Bailey said: “I was delighted with him. We have been praying for rain for a long time. We had to miss Carlisle, and it has been frustrating, but Tom said it might have been a blessing in disguise, as it gave him a bit more time to get to know him.

“We’ve had our issues, but he is a very talented individual and was a grown-up horse today. He’s always had the talent, but is now a year older. He was sore after he fell at Cheltenham, so we gave him an awful lot of time to get over it and I just feel he has come back a different horse since the summer.

“He is a lovely horse, (but) he is quirky, and we’ve had to get inside his head. They are the sort of horses you love. We’ll see what the handicapper does. In the back of my mind, something like the Cotswold Chase may suit him.”

Ascot Saturday

THE Johnny de La Haye-owned Pic D’Orhy (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) justified odds of 4/9 to win the Grade 2 1965 Chase for the second year running, emulating the trainer’s feat with Master Minded and Al Ferof in winning the feature contest twice. Cobden reported that the winner “had a good blow” on the home turn, but a sound jump at the penultimate fence helped him keep his pursuers at bay, and he had three and a half lengths to spare over outsider Hidden Depths (Neil Mulholland/James Bowen).

Reflecting on the victory, and mulling over the possibility of a King George bid, Paul Nicholls said: “It’s a nice start to the season. Johnny and I have spoken about supplementing and there’s a new race [the Fleur de Lys Chase] at Windsor. He keeps on winning and we could do with a yard full like him. He will definitely get three miles, there are lots of nice races for him. That Windsor race would be a real target, as it’s a big pot.”

Game face on

Lucky Place (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) proved very game in denying Paul Nicholls a double, as he outbattled Blueking d’Oroux (Harry Cobden) to land an intriguing renewal of the Grade 2 Howden Ascot Hurdle by a length after four of the runners had held every chance crossing the final obstacle.

The field was reduced to five with the defection of Salver, and the pace set by Blueking d’Oroux was modest, with four of the quintet still travelling well into the straight; with all to play for on the run-in, it was 4/1 shot Lucky Place, who dug deepest to prevail.

Henderson said: “That was plan B. Lucky Place was meant to be going novice chasing, but I couldn’t see anywhere to go, so we brought him here instead.

“He jumps fences beautifully, but maybe we’ll keep that until next season now. We’re going to have to have a look if he stays three and whether he’s a Stayers’ horse. We could look at the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year as a stepping stone.”