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Neptune Can Rise to Wetherby Challenge Tomorrow
28/10/10
Neptune Equester (10st 7lb) bids for a Wetherby hat-trick tomorrow, Friday, October 29, in the day’s feature race, the £20,000 Listed bet365 Handicap Chase (3.20pm) over an extended two and a half miles, which has nine declared runners.
The Listed contest marks a step up in class for the lightly-raced seven-year-old but trainer Brian Ellison is confident that the Sovereign Water gelding will be a force to reckon with, especially with Fearghal Davis taking off 3lb.
Neptune Equester was runner-up in the Durham National over three and a half miles at Sedgefield on April 27, his first start for Ellison, having passed through the Doncaster sale ring for £15,000 earlier that month.
Owned by Koo’s Racing Club II, the gelding broke his maiden by eight lengths in a three-mile, one furlong Wetherby handicap chase on May 20, and then annexed a novice chase at the course over the same distance two weeks later. After a summer break, Neptune Equester warmed up for a return to action over fences when finishing eighth of 12 in a 10-furlong Pontefract Flat maiden on September 16.
Ellison revealed today: “Neptune Equester has won twice at Wetherby, so he likes the course and he’s a talented horse who is in good form. I gave him a run at Pontefract last month and that has put him right.
“It’s a step up in class but he’s definitely good enough. He’s in the handicap and if you’re in the handicap, that’s the main thing. He’s there with a fighting chance and we’re looking forward to him running - he’s a good horse.”
The bet365 Handicap Chase is the highlight on day one of the enthralling two-day bet365 Charlie Hall Meeting that continues at Wetherby on Saturday, October 30, when the feature race is the prestigious £100,000 Grade Two bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (3.25pm).
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Among the opposition to Neptune Equester for the competitive bet365 Handicap Chase is the Sue Smith-trained veteran Mister McGoldrick (11st 12lb). The popular 13-year-old is an eight-time winner at Wetherby having captured this prize in 2007, as well as the Castleford Chase in its Grade Two guise in both January and December of 2005.
The Tim Easterby-trained Lease Lend (11st 8lb) is a tough and consistent chaser on the northern circuit, while Tom George is sending Soulard (11st 7lb) from his Gloucestershire base and David Pipe travels from the Devon/Somerset border with Qulinton (11st 1lb).
Howard Johnson has declared the useful Frankie Figg (11st 5lb) while Malcolm Jefferson’s talented nine-year-old According To Pete (11st 7lb) takes his chance, alongside the Henry Daly-trained My Moment and Star Of Germany (11st 2lb) from the Ian Williams yard.
Friday’s excellent seven-race card also features the £15,000 Listed Weatherbys Bank Wensleydale Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle (3.55pm), for which 13 three-year-olds have been declared, including the Paul Nicholls-trained French import Domtaline, impressive when winning on his British debut at Chepstow on October 9.
Also in the field are the Alan King-trained Kempton winner Jubail, another winning French import in the shape of Grandouet from the Nicky Henderson yard, and the unbeaten George Moore-trained Turf Trivia, who is seeking a hat-trick.
The day’s racing commences at 2.10pm with the two and a half mile Wetherby Racecourse and Conference Centre National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle and continues with the bet365 Handicap hurdle (2.45pm) over an extended two miles, which has attracted 12 runners, including 2007 Castleford Handicap Chase winner Calatagan and the former high-class hurdler Bywell Beau, who is returning from a 615-day absence.
Friday’s card also includes the Book-On-Line@Wetherbyracing.co.uk Handicap Chase (4.30pm) over three miles and a furlong, and concludes with the Wetherby Racecourse For Wedding receptions Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (5.05pm) over two and three quarter miles.
As well as featuring the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase - which boasts a stellar line-up that could include last year’s winner Deep Purple, Ollie Magern (successful in 2005 & 2007), Weird Al, The Queen’s Barbers Shop, Knockara Beau, China Rock, Nacarat, Master Medic, Carruthers and Calgary Bay - Saturday’s excellent card also includes the £32,500 Grade Two John Smith’s Hurdle (2.50pm) over three miles and a furlong, which could see one of last season’s top novices, Wayward Prince, take on the likes of Tidal Bay, Fair Along, Duc De Regniere, Lough Derg and Blazing Bailey.
Also on Saturday’s tremendous seven-race card is the £30,000 bet365 Mares’ Hurdle (2.15pm) over an extended two miles and the 14 entries include the Donald McCain-trained Alegralil, as well as Banjaxed Girl and Amber Brook from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard.
LATEST GOING
The going at Wetherby is currently GOOD (watered), with a GoingStick reading of 7.7.
Jonjo Sanderson, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course at Wetherby, commented: “We have just completed our final watering cycle, which has marginally eased the ground, as we had hoped it would. Thursday has been predominantly overcast, with occasional sunny spells. A cover of cloud has now moved in which is forecast to remain with us until Saturday morning and which could give up to 5mm of rain on Friday night.
As far as the meeting goes, tickets for both days are still available, ether by visiting our website, calling the office or paying at the turnstiles on the day. Everyone at Wetherby is really looking forward to what we hope will prove to be an exciting and memorable two days racing.”
