Cheltenham Saturday

Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2)

CONSTITUTION Hill (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) brought up a 10th victory in as many starts over hurdles, when taking the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham at prohibitive odds, but he had to survive a scare at the last flight before doing so.

Tracking early leader and eventual runner-up Brentford Hope (Harry Derham/Jonathan Burke) until tanking to the front at halfway, the eight-year-old was in full control when losing concentration at the final flight, drawing gasps from the crowd, but he soon recovered his composure to win by a three-length margin that could have been many more.

Speaking to ITV Racing, Henderson said: “He is such a good jumper and usually doesn’t get it wrong, so hopefully he got it out the way before he runs next time.

“He was very long at last when he won the Champion Hurdle and has done it the other way today.

“He just wasn’t doing much today. We came here today, as he came out of Kempton better than we ever thought he would – he was full of it. He has had a nice spin today and it has saved us a lot of galloping at home.

“We know where we are with him. He’ll have a quiet week now and then we’ll start the engines up again. If we can get to the Champion Hurdle in the sort of form we are in today, we’ll go there with a big hope. We have four to five weeks to play with.”

Of that last flight aberration, de Boinville said: “My heart was in my mouth at the last, but he was just doing it so easily. He was either on a long one or was just going to fiddle away, but has kind of done something in the middle. He found a leg and it was fine.

“I’m delighted with him and angry with myself more than anything.”

Gowel deserved success

The Grade 3 Betfair Cleeve Hurdle saw Gowel Road (Nigel/Sam Twiston-Davies) justify market support to win by two and a quarter lengths under Sam Twiston-Davies.

A regular at the track and a tremendously consistent performer, Gowel Road proved two and a quarter lengths too strong for 2024 Pertemps Final hero Monmiral (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden), with fancied pair Strong Leader and Crambo both finishing out of the frame, thereby muddying the Stayers’ Hurdle picture further.

“He really deserved it today,” said Sam Twiston-Davies. “He has bumped into some well-handicapped horses here this season and then back in graded company last time out he bumped into a good one, so today we hoped he could go and do it.

“Consistency is what he is about and today it is that what has got him home in front.”

Greenall & Guerriero dominate

The Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase provided training duo Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero a one-two, with Jagwar (Jonjo O’Neill Jr) beating his better-fancied stablemate Billytherealbigred (James Reveley) by a margin of two and half lengths.

Both horses could now go for the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase at the track in March, although the 9/2 winner is already qualified to run in the Festival Plate over this track and trip.

Greenall said: “Jagwar’s jumping was a lot better today. He was quite keen early in his career, but settled well today and it was perfect.

“It’s always hard when you have two in the same race, but there weren’t many options for them. I think they have both got improvement to come and have shown they can handle the track. The two and a half mile novices’ handicap should be ideal for them both.”

Bowen outstanding

It was well-supported 7/2 joint-favourite Moon d’Orange (John McConnell), who took the spoils in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase by repelling the renewed challenge of Grandeur d’Ame (Alan King/Tom Cannon) by a short-head, but the plaudits for victory rightly belong to jockey Sean Bowen, who had to be at his very best to get the horse’s head in front where it mattered.

The close finish tells less than half the story, with Moon d’Orange set to score with a degree of comfort when plunging dramatically at the final fence, a mistake Bowen did well to sit, never mind recover from to win.

It was the culmination of a superb ride by the champion jockey elect, who had to be at his most persuasive to cajole a reluctant-looking winner to keep in touch with the field in the first half of the race and a superb lesson in race-riding from a man at the pinnacle of his profession.

Betfair Cotswold Chase (Grade 2)

L’HOMME Presse (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) kept himself in the picture for the Cheltenham Gold Cup by landing the Grade 2 Betfair Cotswold Chase in a tight finish with long-time leader Stage Star (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden).

The 10-year-old was a good fourth in the Gold Cup last season and was building on a creditable third on his return in the King George at Kempton, although he got the better of the runner-up only in the dying strides to win by three-parts of a length under an ice-cool Deutsch ride.

Venetia Williams said: “You always felt he was getting on top, but Stage Star made him pull it all out. He’s trotted back – how many horses go three and a quarter miles around Cheltenham and then trot back in?

“He came back from Kempton in good form, and it was a normal progression to here. We are pleased to get this race in the bag. We’ll see about the Gold Cup now. It’s one step at a time. The ground is quite relevant to him. He wasn’t getting tired today and I don’t think stamina is a problem.

East India Dock (James Owen/Sam Twiston-Davies) was sent off a hot favourite at 1/2 and made it two wins from as many starts over hurdles with a deeply impressive 10-length win over Stencil (Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm/James Reveley) in the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The son of Golden Horn made the running and saw his rivals drop off the strong pace one by one to earn his place close to the head of the betting for the Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle on the Friday of the Festival.

“Roll on March,” was the immediate reaction from trainer James Owen. “He had a busy campaign on the flat and we have learnt from having Burdett Road last year.

“We set our stall out when he won here last time, and we thought we’d come back and run him on the New Course today. When he won on him last time, Sam said he will improve on the New Course, and we now have two wins at Cheltenham.

“He jumps so economically and quick. He doesn’t really need to lead, but Sam wanted to control the race today. He is uncomplicated, and I wouldn’t swap him for any other horse.”

Doncaster

JESSICA Harrington’s fine servant Jetara (100/30) got rewards for many fine efforts when James Bowen drove her to a battling head success over the favourite Kateira in the Grade 2 Virgin Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle over an extended three miles. Kateira and Harry Skelton travelled the best going to the last, but under pressure, Jetara refused to give way, despite hanging to the rail, with the duo over seven lengths ahead of Wyenot in third.

Also on the card, trainers David Killahena and Graeme McPherson had a big win in the Grade 2 Pertemps Network River Don Novices’ Hurdle, when the Nick Slatter-ridden Yellow Car (10/1) survived a stewards’ inquiry after beating Moon Rocket.

The Virgin Bet Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase went to the Richard Hobson-trained Docpickedme (9/1) ridden by Charlie Maggs, after the challenging Walking On Air (Richie McLernon) fell at the last.

Forward Plan was unfortunately a fatality when falling four out.