BetVictor Gold Cup |
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| Cheltenham 14:25 Grade 3 Handicap Chase, £160,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 78y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 17th November 2018 | |
1 Baron Alco 8/1
2
Frodon 16/
3 Guitar Pete 12/1
4
Mister Whitaker 6/1F
18 ran NR: Benatar, Geordie Des Champs
Distances: 2l, 8l, ¾l Time: 4m 55.50s (slow by 5.00s)
Baron Alco holds off Frodon to win well
Baron Alco put up a thrilling front-running performance to land The November Meeting's feature race.
The seven-year-old gelding's win was a credit to Sussex trainer Gary Moore, and also to his jockey son Jamie, who nailed the pace he was setting and had enough in reserve to hold off a sustained challenge from top-weight Frodon under Bryony Frost.
Baron Alco won by two lengths from Frodon, with Guitar Pete another eight lengths back in third. Mister Whitaker, was a further three-quarters of a length behind, fourth of the 18 runners in an incident-packed race.
The winning jockey, who took the ride on Baron Alco from his brother Josh after his original mount, Benatar, was withdrawn, said: "He's a very genuine horse, only tiny but he jumps from fence to fence. It is hard to make the running here, but watching the races yesterday and today it is clear that it suits front-runners.
"He had a lot in his favour by making the running, and I notice that Frodon, who was up there with him all the way, finished second, so it was obviously the right place to be. I could hear Frodon coming at me on the run-in, and that is how we were beaten at Chepstow last time out - a horse came late there and beat me, whereas if the challenge comes earlier my horse will battle back again.
"Dad is a master trainer - Traffic Fluide won a decent race for us recently over three miles and yet Dad will have winners on the Flat at Kempton and Lingfield all winter. He has winners at Royal Ascot. He gave this horse time off last year and got him back to run at Chepstow.
"He ran well there, but it just shows how tough he is because horses can often 'bounce' after a run off a long break, yet this horse has gone and won this race. That's a credit to Dad and to Josh [Jamie's brother, and like him a jockey] who is a big part of this victory, too."
Moore received a two-day ban for using his whip above the permitted level on the winner.
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Frost commented: "Frodon is a super horse. He has run his heart out for me again this afternoon. "He jumped and travelled really well and to run like that off a big-weight shows what a quality horse he is.
"Frodon is a pleasure to ride and I'm pleased he's run another big race this afternoon. He is a young horse but very wise in between those ears.
"Sometimes, they can't get in front but he has given me everything and you can be so proud of him. He is young horse but very wise between the ears in the way that he jumps and travels.
"It's a massive honour for the owners to have the loyalty and for Paul to have the confidence to keep me on him. It honestly means the world to go out there and gallop a horse like him.
"He is braver than me. When you have a horse that wants to win as much as he does, it's what racehorses are there for."
Ditcheat handler Nicholls said: "Frodon has run a really good race. Baron Alco got a run on him, but he was closing all the way to the line.
"He had to carry a lot of weight, but it is another great run. We'll step him up in grade now.
"The Peterborough Chase could be something for him. We'll make a plan and he will want a month off as he had a hard race today."
Nicky Richards saddled 12/1 chance Guitar Pete to finish a further eight lengths behind in third. "Guitar Pete's run very well", said Cumbrian-based Richards. "It was an eventful race but we're very pleased with him."
Jack Channon, assistant trainer to his father Mick, was pleased with the run of Mister Whitaker, the 6/1 favourite, who finished a further three-quarters of a length back in fourth.
He commented: "Mister Whitaker ran a great race. I think he would prefer softer ground, but it was a belting run in such a tough and competitive handicap event."
BetVictor Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
£160,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 78y, Class 1
18 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Baron Alco (FR) 8/1 | J E Moore 10-11 |
G L Moore | 7 | |
| 2nd | 2 | Frodon (FR) 16/1 | Bryony Frost 11-12 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 3rd | 8 | Guitar Pete (IRE) 12/1 | B S Hughes 10-2 |
N G Richards | 8 |
| 4th | ¾ | Mister Whitaker (IRE) 6/1f | A P Heskin 11-3 |
M R Channon | 6 |
| 5th | nk | Eamon An Cnoic (IRE) 50/1 | David Noonan 10-0 |
D Pipe | 7 |
| 6th | 6 | Javert (IRE) 25/1 | Adam Wedge 11-1 |
Miss E C Lavelle | 9 |
| PU | West Approach 9/1 | R Johnson 10-7 |
C L Tizzard | 8 | |
| PU | Splash of Ginge 20/1 | Jamie Bargary 10-6 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 10 | |
| PU | Ballyandy 12/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 10-2 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 7 | |
| F | Movewiththetimes (IRE) 10/1 | B J Geraghty 10-5 |
P F Nicholls | 7 | |
| F | Willie Boy (IRE) 33/1 | R P McLernon 10-1 |
C E Longsdon | 7 | |
| F | Whoshotwho (IRE) 33/1 | Sean Bowen 10-0 |
Dr R D P Newland | 7 | |
| UR | Kalondra (IRE) 13/2 | N D Fehily 10-13 |
N P Mulholland | 7 | |
| UR | Shantou Village (IRE) 33/1 | R T Dunne 10-8 |
N P Mulholland | 8 | |
| UR | King's Socks (FR) 12/1 | T Scudamore 10-4 |
D Pipe | 6 | |
| UR | Romain De Senam (FR) 16/1 | H Cobden 10-3 |
P F Nicholls | 6 | |
| BD | Rather Be (IRE) 7/1 | J McGrath 11-0 |
N J Henderson | 7 | |
| BD | Happy Diva (IRE) 25/1 | Richard Patrick (3) 10-5 |
Kerry Lee | 7 | |
| NR | Benatar (IRE) | J E Moore 11-0 |
G L Moore | 6 | |
| NR | Geordie Des Champs (IRE) | N P Madden 10-2 |
Miss R Curtis | 7 |
