Unibet Lanzarote Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Kempton Park 14:40 £45,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 5f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 12th January 2019 | |
1 Big Time Dancer 16/1
2 Solomon Grey 12/1
3 Lord Napier 7/1
14 ran NR: Erick Le Rouge Distances: 1½l, 2l, 6l
Time: 5m 3.00s (slow by 8.00s)
Jonjo O’Neill junior celebrates biggest winner of career on Big Time Dancer
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The 20-year-old Jonjo O’Neill junior spent most of last year on the sidelines with a back injury and continued to make up for lost time after triumphing in the Listed contest aboard the 16-1 shot.
Son of former champion jockey Jonjo O’Neill, the 5lb claimer bided his time before forging the Jennie Candlish-trained six-year-old on late in the two-mile-five-furlong contest, crossing the line a length and a half clear of Solomon Grey.
The winning rider said: “It is amazing, really, as you are dreaming of these sort of things when you are off for eight months on the sidelines. To ride a nice winner like this means everything.
“I was always confident on him. He travelled really well and jumped unbelievable and every position I put him in he answered my call straight away. He made it very easy for me.”
He added: “I’m trying to be my own self and I want to be a jockey. I take advice and he (O’Neill senior) is very supportive and a big help, but I am my own man – even though I’ve the same name I’m very much different!”
Connections of the 16-1 winner hinted a trip to Aintree could be on the agenda later in the season, should the ground be in his favour.
To ride a nice winner like this means everything
Assistant trainer Alan O’Keeffe said: “It is nice to get a big one like that. Jennie has done a great job with the horse. He has had a few problems, his wind was one.
“We’ve not had a lot of runners recently, as they want proper soft ground, but this one doesn’t. I just thought we rarely get a Lanzarote run on ground like that and he loves that ground.
“He got a great ride and this lad (O’Neill) is going places. It is great for the yard to come down here and get one like that.
“He will have a little break, but his future lies chasing. We won’t give him an overly-long break and we will look at Aintree.”
Unibet Lanzarote Hurdle (Listed Handicap)
£45,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 5f, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Big Time Dancer (IRE) 16/1 | Jonjo O'Neill Jr. (5) 11-1 |
Jennie Candlish | 6 | |
| 2nd | 1½ | Solomon Grey (FR) 12/1 | Bridget Andrews 11-7 |
D Skelton | 7 |
| 3rd | 2 | Lord Napier (IRE) 7/1 | Sean Bowen 11-6 |
P Bowen | 6 |
| 4th | 6 | Star Of Lanka (IRE) 9/1 | G Sheehan 11-6 |
W Greatrex | 5 |
| 5th | 2 | Darling Maltaix (FR) 10/1 | Lorcan Williams (5) 11-10 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 6th | 1 | Kloud Gate (FR) 7/2f | J E Moore 11-3 |
G L Moore | 7 |
| 7th | 1½ | Mellow Ben (IRE) 8/1 | Tom Cannon 11-2 |
C Gordon | 6 |
| 8th | 26 | Cotswold Way (IRE) 9/1 | M G Nolan 11-7 |
P J Hobbs | 6 |
| 9th | 1 | And The New (IRE) 12/1 | D A Jacob 11-9 |
J Farrelly | 8 |
| 10th | nk | Canyon City 16/1 | Bryony Frost 11-9 |
N B King | 6 |
| 11th | 2¼ | Sleep Easy 20/1 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-8 |
N P Mulholland | 7 |
| 12th | 7 | Milrow (IRE) 33/1 | Sean Houlihan (3) 11-0 |
Mrs S Leech | 6 |
| 13th | s.h | Theatrebar 50/1 | 11-7 | D Skelton | 11 |
| PU | Doux Pretender (FR) 8/1 | Nico de Boinville 11-10 |
N J Henderson | 6 | |
| NR | Erick Le Rouge (FR) | Non Runner 11-10 |
Mrs J Williams | 5 |
