19 November 2018

Moore the Merrier!

Baron Alco produced a doughty front-running performance and won the Betvictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The Gary Moore-trained Dom Alco gelding battled valiantly up the notorious incline against the top-weight Frodon to win the prize in what was a family affair. The trainer's son, Jamie, a late replacement for brother Joshua, had nothing but praise for a horse that came second in the Plate around this course on his last time out. It was fortuitous that 8/1 seven-year-old was out in front as he, thus, managed to avoid being involved in the series of falls happening behind him. As usual Bryony Frost was aboard the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon, who travelled and jumped smoothly and looked in a good position to take control of proceedings as the front two galloped clear of the rest of the field around the home turn but the Nickname gelding couldn't get past the eventual winner. It was the first time that the West Sussex-based handler has won this race, scooping a £160.000 prize into the bargain.

Clinging on!

The Steel Plate & Sections Novices Chase has often been the starting point for many future stars and this year's event continued in the same vein. Count Meribel, ridden by Mark Grant, came up in the last seconds to win the two-and-a-half-mile feature race by a neck giving his delighted jockey his first win at Cheltenham. Previous winners of this contest include Denman and Imperial Commander who both then went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mark Grant put on something of a star turn when he succeeded in staying aboard the Three Valleys gelding at the 2nd last fence after a terrible mistake. The jockey was thrown up the horse's neck but, amazingly, somehow managed to maintain his mount's momentum. The 6-year-old then fortunately had enough in reserve to hold off Ben Pauling's Le Breuil in an exciting climax.

Still Sceau good!

Sceau Royal made a winning start to his new season with a hard-fought two-and-a-quarter-length victory in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham. The Alan King-trained six-year-old, back on the track for the first time since injury put paid to his novice season after winning at Doncaster in January, had to work hard to get the better of the 28/1 outsider Simply Ned. This Nicky Richards-trained front-running Fruits of Love gelding made the 5/4 favourite work hard all the way, but after coming level at the second-last and then holding a slender lead at the last, Sceau Royal still had a little in hand to beat the rallying runner-up by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

Kaylina Aramis

Breeding Shares available for 2019! 

By Kayf Tara

• full sister to Kayf Aramis 85 runs & over £153,000 prize money, Winner Cheltenham Festival; 3xWinner at York Dante Festival
• full sister to Kaylif Aramis, his career very sadly cut short at a young age: 3 wins, 4 places, over £59,000 prize money, Winner Ascot grade 2; 2nd grade 3 Aintree