bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Wetherby 14:00 £40,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 31st October 2015 | |
1 Kilcooley 5/1
2 Rock On Ruby 3/1F
3 Aqalim 7/2
9 ran Distances: 13l, ¾l, 16l
TIME 6m 8.00s (slow by 4.00s)
Kilcooley gets a quote of 16/1 at Betfred for the 2016 World Hurdle (Cole Harden did the double last season)
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Trained by Charlie Longsdon and ridden by Richard Johnson, the six-year-old Kilcooley was far too good for former Champion Hurdle hero Rock On Ruby, who was having his first try over three miles.
Kilcooley was always fairly close to the pace before Johnson nudged his partner into the lead halfway through the Grade Two, won last season by subsequent Ladbrokes World Hurdle hero Cole Harden.
Longsdon's inmate stretched further clear the longer the race went on and was 13 lengths in front of Rock On Ruby at the line.
Aqalim finished third, another three-quarters of a length in arrears.
Speaking from Ascot, Longsdon said: "That was very impressive and I suppose he will go down the World Hurdle route now. The big question was if he was up to it. It was not a real surprise as the only real issue was whether he would get the trip or not.
"He did it the hard way from the front but that is the only way he knows how to run as he is a relentless galloper. I'd have thought we will go to the Hennessy meeting at Newbury next.
"He does take his races hard as he puts everything into them but that meeting is a month away so it should be fine."
Johnson said: "It's really tiring ground, but he relished the conditions and did it well."
Trainer Harry Fry said of Rock On Ruby: "He ran his heart out but he hated that ground.
"Noel (Fehily) was very happy with him but the ground went against him. All is not lost, though, and he lives to fight another day.
"I am keen to come back for the Relkeel Hurdle but that is not until January 1. We will see how we come out the race and go from there."
Bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle
£40,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kilcooley (IRE) 5/1 | R Johnson 11-9 |
C E Longsdon | 6 | |
| 2nd | 13 | Rock On Ruby (IRE) 3/1f | N D Fehily 11-9 |
H Fry | 10 |
| 3rd | ¾ | Aqalim 7/2 | B Hughes 11-1 |
J P Ferguson | 5 |
| 4th | 16 | Grumeti 7/1 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-1 |
A King | 7 |
| 5th | 9 | Closing Ceremony (IRE) 17/2 | R P McLernon 11-9 |
Miss E C Lavelle | 6 |
| 6th | 85 | The Druids Nephew (IRE) 10/1 | Michael Byrne 11-1 |
N P Mulholland | 8 |
| 7th | 2¾ | Splash of Ginge 14/1 | Jamie Bargary 11-1 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 7 |
| PU | Goldan Jess (IRE) 66/1 | K James 11-1 |
P A Kirby | 11 | |
| PU | No Planning 10/1 | S Quinlan 11-1 |
Mrs S J Smith | 8 |
