Crabbie's Topham Chase |
|
| Grade 3 Handicap, Aintree 16:05 £120,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 5f 110y, Class 1  |
|
| Friday 10th April 2015 | |
1 Rajdhani Express 10/1
2 Fairy Rath 25/1
3 Rathlin 20/1
4 Hunt Ball 25/1
5 Ruben Cotter 8/1cf
30 ran Distances: 10l, 11l, 4½l
TIME 5m 23.90s (slow by 2.90s)
Rajdhani Express wins the Topham. Another win for Sam Waley-Cohen over the National fences.
 |
Amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen excels over Aintree's specialist spruce fences and on Friday recorded his sixth win to become the winning-most jockey over the National obstacles of the modern era when guiding his father Robert's homebred Rajdhani Express to victory.
He said: "It's such a special course and it's amazing to hear that. I'm lucky because I get to ride in the Fox Hunters' so I get a few extra chances but so much depends on the horse and if you can get on the right one you can have a magical time over those fences and he was brilliant today. He was so clever and full of courage. I wasn't sure coming round the last bend if we'd done too much but I just tried to fill him up and he was so brave. I was all a bit 'pony club' jumping the last and had to sit deep in the saddle but it was just magic.
"Lady Luck was with us. There's such a premium on jumping - if your horse can look after himself and look after you then you can have a great time. You just sometimes need a damn bit of luck and we got it today."
Despite his good record at Aintree, which includes second and fourth place finishes in the Crabbie's Grand National on Oscar Time, who he rides again tomorrow, Waley-Cohen took a first-fence fall from Warne in yesterday's Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase.
He added: "That's the thing - yesterday I felt like the worst jockey in the world and today I'm told I'm the winning-most jockey over these fences. It's all a bit arbitrary really."
Looking ahead to tomorrow's big race, Waley-Cohen said: "It's a dream to be lining up in the Grand National. Oscar Time has been a superstar and if he can get a bit of luck and have a clear round, he won't be far away."
Sam Waley-Cohen has won the Topham Chase twice on Rajdhani Express (2015) and Liberthine (2006), and the Aintree Fox Hunters' Chase three times on Katarino (2005 and 2006) and Warne (2014). He has also won the Betfred Becher Chase on Oscar Time.
Crabbie's Topham Chase (Grade 3 Handicap)
£120,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 5f 110y, Class 1
30 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Rajdhani Express 10/1 | Mr S Waley-Cohen (3) 11-11 |
N J Henderson | 8 | |
| 2nd | 10 | Fairy Rath (IRE) 25/1 | Tom Cannon 10-4 |
N J Gifford | 9 |
| 3rd | 11 | Rathlin 20/1 | B T O'Connell 11-6 |
M F Morris | 10 |
| 4th | 4½ | Hunt Ball (IRE) 25/1 | A Tinkler 11-12 |
N J Henderson | 10 |
| 5th | 1 | Ruben Cotter (IRE) 8/1c | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-1 |
P F Nicholls | 9 |
| 6th | s.h | Art Of Logistics (IRE) 33/1 | P Carberry 11-3 |
Ms S Hughes | 7 |
| 7th | 12 | Bobcatbilly (IRE) 50/1 | W Kennedy 10-10 |
Ian Williams | 9 |
| 8th | 1¼ | Sew On Target (IRE) 50/1 | Brendan Powell 11-1 |
C L Tizzard | 10 |
| 9th | 5 | Bless The Wings (IRE) 16/1 | D J Condon 10-7 |
G Elliott | 10 |
| 10th | ½ | Maggio (FR) 33/1 | B Hughes 10-12 |
P Griffin | 10 |
| PU | Splash of Ginge 12/1 | Ryan Hatch (5) 11-10 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 7 | |
| PU | Eastlake (IRE) 8/1c | A P McCoy 11-7 |
Jonjo O'Neill | 9 | |
| PU | Poole Master 28/1 | Paul Moloney 11-6 |
D Pipe | 10 | |
| PU | Montoya's Son (IRE) 20/1 | B P Harding 10-6 |
K Dalgleish | 10 | |
| PU | Up To Something (FR) 40/1 | D F O'Regan 10-5 |
C E Longsdon | 7 | |
| F | Turban (FR) 33/1 | R Walsh 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 8 | |
| F | Annacotty (IRE) 28/1 | G Sheehan 11-8 |
M Keighley | 7 | |
| F | Some Tikket (IRE) 33/1 | J J Burke (3) 10-9 |
Ms S Hughes | 8 | |
| F | Wings Of Smoke (IRE) 40/1 | R Johnson 10-7 |
Tim Vaughan | 10 | |
| F | Festive Affair (IRE) 25/1 | R P McLernon 10-0 |
Jonjo O'Neill | 7 | |
| F | Standing Ovation (IRE) 11/1 | C O'Farrell 10-0 |
D Pipe | 8 | |
| UR | Bennys Mist (IRE) 14/1 | Aidan Coleman 11-2 |
Miss V Williams | 9 | |
| UR | Monetaire (FR) 8/1c | T Scudamore 11-2 |
D Pipe | 9 | |
| UR | Theatre Guide (IRE) 12/1 | D A Jacob 11-1 |
C L Tizzard | 8 | |
| UR | Ballygarvey (FR) 50/1 | T J O'Brien 10-10 |
P J Hobbs | 9 | |
| UR | Witness In Court (IRE) 50/1 | P Townend 10-8 |
D McCain Jnr | 8 | |
| UR | Granville Island (IRE) 50/1 | Peter Carberry 10-7 |
Jennie Candlish | 8 | |
| UR | Deciding Moment (IRE) 66/1 | Jack Doyle 10-4 |
B De Haan | 9 | |
| BD | Darna 20/1 | D Bass 11-6 |
K C Bailey | 9 | |
| BD | Kings Grey (IRE) 100/1 | Henry Brooke 10-3 |
J Wade | 11 |
WALEY-COHEN SO PROUD OF HIS SON
Racehorse owner and permit holder Robert Waley-Cohen won today's Crabbie's Topham Chase with the Nicky Henderson-trained Rajdhani Express, ridden by his son Sam.
Waley-Cohen, who is also chairman of Cheltenham racecourse, beamed proudly while reflecting that Sam had just won his sixth race over Aintree's Crabbie's Grand National fences, becoming the most successful current rider around the famous course.
A former amateur rider, Waley-Cohen Snr said: "What a wonderful day, but how do you explain that he [Sam] fell on an odds-on favourite in a point-to-point on Monday, fell at the first yesterday [on Warne in the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase] and wins this? [After tomorrow's big race] He will have ridden in each of the five races over the National fences this season and he's won two and been second once - how could you pick any other jockey to ride over them?
"He wanted space in today's race - there was no real plan, just get space and jump the fences. You take your time over the first four then creep around the first corner, which is what he did and got into a wonderful position. Who knows how he avoids the trouble that others find?
"I rode here three times [in the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase] and managed to fall once and finish fourth - that was in 1977, and the winner was Happy Warrior, ridden by Nicky Henderson. I fell at Becher's, so I'm in quite distinguished company."
The Waley-Cohens will team up again in tomorrow's Crabbie's Grand National with Oscar Time, at 14 the oldest horse in the race, but with a fine Aintree record. Waley-Cohen, who also trains the horse at his home on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border, said: "He is in absolutely fantastic condition - prime order."
Henderson, who does not train a Crabbie's Grand National runner this year, was winning today's race for a third consecutive year following victories with Ma Filleule (2014) and Triolo D'Alene (2013), and for the fifth time in all. He also shared a win with the Waley-Cohens in 2006 with Liberthine, while in 1990 he saddled the Robert Waley-Cohen-owned Wont Be Gone Long to score under Richard Dunwoody. He said of Sam Waley-Cohen: "It is extraordinary - he does have an affinity with these fences that you cannot put into words. The first fence got in the way for him yesterday, but he has an amazing record. Now we just need to find a clue to a Grand National horse because that's our third consecutive Topham and yet it's hard to find the Saturday one.
"This horse schooled very well the other day and looked the right type for this race. I'll be cheering on Sam in tomorrow's race - the Hendersons and Waley-Cohens have been friends for a very long time. We go back to before Wont Be Gone Long, who was favourite for the National that never was [in 1993 when a false start resulted in the race being declared void]. It's wonderful to still be involved together all these years later."
EARPLUGS HELP FAIRY RATH INTO SECOND IN THE TOPHAM
Nick Gifford, trainer of second-placed Fairy Rath, was delighted with the horse's first attempt at the Grand National fences.
He said: "We popped earplugs in him in the pre-parade ring and that settled him. He was beaten by a class horse, so no complaints there, but that will have given Tom [Cannon, the jockey] some spin round there. We're chuffed."
Fairy Rath is owned by television personality Jeremy Kyle's wife Carla.
She said: "I feel like I've won! I am so pleased he came second. He was up against a lot of good horses and Nick has done an amazing job with him. I'm just so happy."
Eddie O'Leary, racing manager for Gigginstown House Stud, owners of third-placed Rathlin, said: "He's run very well. He couldn't quite go the early pace and made a couple of mistakes but he's stayed on well though. We're proud of our horse.
"I tell you what though, that Sam Waley-Cohen is unbelievable. He'd give the pros seven pounds."
