Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Newcastle 14:05 £80,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 98y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 28th November 2020 |
1 Epatante 8/11F
2 Sceau Royal 3/1
3 Ribble Valley 16/1
6 ran NR: Cornerstone Lad Distances: 4¼l, 7l, ¾l
Time: 3m 50.79s (slow by 0.79s)
She’s a machine! Epatante wins the Grade 1 Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle on the bridle for @sevenbarrows and @AidanColeman at @NewcastleRaces pic.twitter.com/lnvUoFpBKm
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 28, 2020
Aidan Coleman had a double-handful after the last flight of hurdles and a mere shake of the reins was all that was required for Epatante to catch Sceau Royal and skip away from him in the Grade One.
Coleman punched the air, saluting the empty stands, such was his joy at winning on board the Nicky Henderson-trained superstar.
Coral went 6/4 from 3s about her for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
There was drama at the first two hurdles, with Not So Sleepy jinking and unseating Paddy Brennan at the first flight, before the loose horse caused Silver Streak to run out at the second with poor Tom O’Brien having nowhere to go.
The loose Not So Sleepy threatened to cause more carnage, but thankfully didn’t get in the way of anything else.
Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle
£80,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 98y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good
1 Epatante 6 11-0 Nicky Henderson Aidan Coleman 8/11F
2 4¼ Sceau Royal 8 11-7 Alan King Daryl Jacob 3/1
3 7 Ribble Valley 7 11-7 Nicky Richards Brian Hughes 16/1
4 ¾ Voix Du Reve 8 11-7 2 Iain Jardine Conor O'Farrell 200/1
CO Silver Streak 7 11-7 Evan Williams Tom O'Brien 6/1
UR Not So Sleepy 8 11-7 Hughie Morrison Paddy Brennan 22/1
NR Cornerstone Lad 6 11-7 Micky Hammond Billy Garritty
