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Adonis Hurdle 2013 |
Irish Saint Strikes in Adonis Hurdle
23/02/13
1 Irish Saint 5/4F
2 Vasco Du Ronceray 5/2
3 L'Unique 4/1
7 ran Distances: ½l, 8l, 3¾l
TIME 3m 58.55s (slow by 16.55s)
Irish Saint put in a workman-like performance, staying on stoutly to beat Vasco Du Ronceray in a tight finish for the two-mile Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on February 23.
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Despite coming off the bridle a long way out, the 5-4 favourite kept responding to Ruby Walsh's urgings and knuckled down impressively to give trainer Paul Nicholls his third Adonis victory in the last five runnings.
Nicholls dropped a heavy hint that Irish Saint would not be heading to the JCB Triumph Hurdle despite winning what is now accepted as the most informative trial for the Cheltenham Festival contest at Kempton.
Already a course and distance winner, Irish Saint had been beaten by Henderson's Rolling Star at Cheltenham last time and Nicholls already has a leading Triumph Hurdle player in Far West.
"I'll have to talk to the owner properly but I suspect we'll end up going to Aintree for either the juvenile or the two-and-a-half against older horses," said Nicholls, whose Triumph hero Zarkandar lifted the Adonis two years ago.
"He didn't run on the Flat and it's only three weeks until Cheltenham. With six weeks until Aintree I can get him a good bit better."
Racing UK Subscribe For Cheltenham Adonis Juvenile Hurdle
(Grade 2)
£27,500 added, 4yo only, 2m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
| Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
| 1 |
Irish Saint P F Nicholls |
R Walsh 11st 5lbs |
5 - 4 Winner |
| 2 |
Vasco Du Ronceray N J Henderson |
B J Geraghty 11st 2lbs |
5 - 2 1/2 length |
| 3 |
L'unique A King |
R Thornton 10st 12lbs |
4 - 1 8 lengths |
| 4 |
Courtesy Call N J Henderson |
D Bass 10st 12lbs |
16 - 1 3 3/4 lengths |
| 5 |
Foster's Road M R Channon |
W Kennedy 11st 2lbs |
66 - 1 6 lengths |
| 6 |
Chris Pea Green G L Moore |
J E Moore 11st 5lbs |
7 - 1 2 1/4 lengths |
| 7 |
Shadarpour G L Moore |
N Fehily 10st 12lbs |
100 - 1 13 lengths |
PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE ADONIS HURDLE
2012 - Baby Mix
2011 - Zarkandar - went on to win the Triumph Hurdle
2010 - Soldatino - went on to win Triumph Hurdle
2009 - Hebridean
2008 - Binocular - finished second in the Surpeme that season before going on to win Champion Hurdle in 2010
2007 - Punjabi - fourth in Triumph Hurdle but went on to win the Champion Hurdle in 2009
2006 - Kasbah Bliss
2005 - Penzance - went on to win the Triumph Hurdle
2004 - Trouble at Bay
2003 - Well Chief - second in Triumph before going on to win Arkle
