Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
Cheltenham 15:05
£35,000 added,
5yo plus,
3m 6f 37y, Class 2  
Friday 13th December 2019

QuinnBet

1 Easysland 5/2F
2 Amazing Comedy 10/1
3 Out Sam 33/1
15 ran NR: Fact Of The Matter Distances: 7l, 6l, 2¼l
Time: 9m 4.00s (slow by 1m 0.00s)

David Cottin’s Easysland lined up at Prestbury Park off the back of multiple cross-country triumphs in his homeland at Pau and Compiegne – and was sent off a well-supported 5-2 favourite in the hands of Jonathan Plouganou.

Ridden prominently throughout the three-mile-six-furlong contest, Easysland took over the lead a long way from home and never really looked in any danger of being caught, passing the post eight lengths to the good.

Easysland’s part-owner David Futter said: “He is not overly big and that is why we got him cheaply at the sales, but I’ve been at it long enough to know it’s what’s in their heart and head that matters.

“We stand the stallion Gentlewave at Yorton Farm ourselves and we try to support our stallions.

“He has always been able to jump. Did we think he would take us to Cheltenham? No. They’ve got to get round the fences and jump and he just about did it.

“We will see how he goes. He has already won two cross-country races at Pau and hopefully we will go there for the Grand Cross Country and see how he goes then hopefully come back here in March.

“I’m a kid from a housing estate watching this on the television and I never ever in my life thought I’d have a winner here, so we are going to enjoy the moment.

“We work hard and play hard and we will play tonight!”

Amazing Comedy chased home his stablemate to provide Cottin with a one-two.

He said of the winner: “It was a very good performance. For me this is my future champion in cross-country races.

“He is only five years old with not much experience. For me he is a smashing horse. He is very small, but he is a very good horse.

“Maybe will go for the big cross-country at Pau and come back here in March.”

Gordon Elliott’s Irish challenger Out Sam best of the rest in third. The well-fancied Yanworth suffered a heavy fall a long way from home, while his stable companion Josies Orders – a four times winner at the track – never threatened to land a telling blow.

Boylesports

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
£35,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 6f 37y, Class 2
15 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Easysland 5 11-3 D Cottin Jonathan Plouganou 5/2F
2 7 Amazing Comedy 9 10-6 D Cottin James Reveley 10/1
3 6 Out Sam 10 11-4 Gordon Elliott Keith Donoghue 33/1
4 2¼ Chic Name 7 10-7 Richard Hobson James Best 8/1
5 4½ Neverushacon 8 11-4 Mrs John Harrington Paddy Kennedy 16/1
6 nk Kingswell Theatre 10 10-13 Michael Scudamore Tom Scudamore 12/1
7 ¾ Rolling Dylan 8 11-3 Philip Hobbs Micheal Nolan 8/1
8 14 Tea For Two 10 10-13 Mrs Jane Williams Lizzie Kelly 33/1
9 3¼  Hurricane Darwin 9 10-8 Peter Maher Kevin Sexton 25/1
10 72 Azrou D'Ex 9 10-3 Augustin Adeline De Boisbrunet David Noonan 20/1
F Yanworth 9 11-12 E Bolger Mark Walsh 9/2
PU Josies Orders 11 11-11 E Bolger Donal McInerney 16/1
PU Ballyboker Bridge 12 11-3 Peter Maher Sean Flanagan 25/1
PU Decret 6 10-0 1 Patrice Quinton Jordan Duchene 25/1
UR Blue Templar 8 10-8 E Bolger Miss A B O'Connor 33/1
NR 8 180-56 Fact Of The Matter 9 11-0 Jamie Snowden NON RUNNER