Colin Parker Memorial Chase |
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| Listed, Carlisle 15:45 £30,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1  |
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| Sunday 4th November 2018 | |
1 Mister Whitaker 3/1
2
Happy Diva 9/1
3
Cyrname EvsF
5 ran NR: Thomas Patrick Distances: 2¼l, 2l, 8l
Time: 5m 1.30s (slow by 4.30s)
 |
Mister Whitaker posted a convincing win to underline his credentials for this month’s BetVictor Gold Cup.
Mick Channon’s Cheltenham Festival winner was already prominent in the betting for the showpiece handicap back at Prestbury Park on November 17.
His two-and-a-quarter-length win over Happy Diva in Sunday’s two-and-a-half-mile Listed chase, often used as a stepping stone to the traditional first big handicap of the new jumps season, is therefore of significant note.
Mister Whitaker, last seen winning the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March, was one of four in line coming to the final fence on his return to action.
Rene’s Girl, another like Happy Diva among the initial entries in the BetVictor, made a costly error there – leaving front-running favourite Cyrname as the other still in contention.
It was Mister Whitaker who proved strongest in the finish, however, to win at 3-1 under Adrian Heskin.
Channon told Press Association Sport: “Obviously we’re very pleased.
“We knew he was a good horse after Cheltenham, but it’s great that he’s come back and shown it again.
“What this horse does have is a turn of foot. He’s not the biggest – but if you have that turn of foot it’s a big asset.”
Mister Whitaker was cut to as short as 7-1 favourite for the BetVictor, but Channon is not committing him to that race just yet.
He added: “The horse won’t be home until tomorrow (Monday). So we’ll see how he is, and I’ll have a chat with Tim (Radford, owner) and Hen (Knight) and see which way we go.
“That (BetVictor Gold Cup) is the obvious race, but it is only 13 days away – so we’ll see.”
Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase
£30,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mister Whitaker (IRE) 3/1 | A P Heskin 11-6 |
M R Channon | 6 | |
| 2nd | 2¼ | Happy Diva (IRE) 9/1 | Richard Patrick 10-9 |
Kerry Lee | 7 |
| 3rd | 2 | Cyrname (FR) Evsf | H Cobden 11-8 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 4th | 8 | Rene's Girl (IRE) 4/1 | Harry Skelton 10-13 |
D Skelton | 8 |
| 5th | 7 | Saint Leo (FR) 20/1 | B S Hughes 11-2 |
A M Thomson | 5 |
| NR | Thomas Patrick (IRE) | R Johnson 11-6 |
Tom Lacey | 6 |
