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What A Charm Wins Fred Winter for Townend First
16/03/11

1 What A Charm 9/1
2 Kumbeshwar 33/1
3 Dhaafer 16/1
4 Plan A 4/1 Fav
23 ran Distances: nk, 4½l, 1¾l
TIME 3m 58.50s (slow by 6.50s)

Paul Townend enjoyed his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival as What A Charm landed the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle in a thrilling finish to give Irish-trained horses a sixth straight success on the day at cumulative odds of 1,525,919/1.

What A Charm
© Racehorse Photos

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a stellar campaign as second jockey to Willie Mullins having ridden plenty of Grade One winners in Ireland, including aboard Hurricane Fly who took yesterday’s Champion Hurdle under Ruby Walsh.

What A Charm is trained by Arthur Moore and the 9/1 chance just got the better of the front-running Kumbeshwar after a tremendous battle to score by a neck.

Townend said: “It is unbelievable to ride a winner here and I am grateful to Arthur Moore and the owners for giving me the opportunity.

“I have been very lucky to ride Hurricane Fly this season and that will do me and I had a great spin off my horse to finish fourth behind him in the Champion Hurdle yesterday.

“It is special to ride a winner at the Festival and it tops a great year for me.”

Moore added: “She had to run as she was well handicapped and has really turned in her coat the last two weeks.

“I thought this may be a bit sharp for her but she has done it well and it is a great thrill to be here.

“This winner’s enclosure is a very hard place to get to. We have been lucky here in the past but were due another auccess and it is our first hurdle winner here.

“I was a great admirer of Fred Winter and once did evening stables with him. We came around to a hairy-looking horse and he said what do you think of him - he’s a store horse who we have just brought over from Ireland. I replied he might be all right with a bit of time and he said - that’s Sonny Somers and he’s 15 years old!

“He was a good friend and fantastic man so it is nice to win his race. The extra pleasure is Chris Jones is the owner and he is here again today. We’ve had four winners for him here and he is a great sport.”

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	What A Charm A L T Moore	P Townend 10st 6lbs	9 - 1 Winner
2	Kumbeshwar A King	Charlie Huxley 11st 10lbs	33 - 1 Neck
3	Dhaafer A King	R Thornton 10st 10lbs	16 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
4	Plan A G Elliott	P Carberry 11st 8lbs	4 - 1 1 3/4 length
5	Jubail A King	W Hutchinson 10st 12lbs	33 - 1 3 1/2 lengths
6	Rock Of Deauville P F Nicholls	Harry Skelton 10st 3lbs	33 - 1 1 1/2 length
7	Tenor Nivernais Miss V Williams	A Coleman 11st 1lbs	11 - 2 2 lengths
8	Kingdom Of Munster R A Fahey	B Hughes 10st 0lbs	100 - 1 3/4 length
9	Paintball C E Longsdon	R Johnson 11st 0lbs	15 - 2 3/4 length
10	The Starboard Bow Miss Lucinda V Russell	P Buchanan 11st 3lbs	100 - 1 3/4 length
11	Harry Hunt G McPherson	J Mogford 11st 0lbs	66 - 1 1 3/4 length
12	Tom Wade John A Harris	S Twiston-Davies 10st 0lbs	100 - 1 1 3/4 length
13	Beyond Evan Williams	D N Russell 11st 0lbs	16 - 1 2 1/4 lengths
14	Kayef M Scudamore	T Scudamore 10st 11lbs	16 - 1 1 3/4 length
15	Akula M H Tompkins	C Bolger 11st 2lbs	40 - 1 4 lengths
16	Titan De Sarti N J Henderson	A P McCoy 11st 6lbs	8 - 1 7 lengths
17	Whitby Jack G L Moore	J E Moore 11st 9lbs	14 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
18	Lady Willa Mark Gillard	T J Phelan 10st 6lbs	100 - 1 3/4 length
19	Mr Muddle Miss S West	A Glassonbury 10st 10lbs	100 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
20	Looks Like Slim B De Haan	D Elsworth 10st 8lbs	33 - 1 14 lengths
21	L'Eminence Grise Nick Williams	D Jacob 10st 7lbs	20 - 1 6 lengths
22	Mark Twain K C Bailey	J M Maguire 11st 6lbs	100 - 1 7 lengths
Pulled Up	Celtus N J Henderson	B J Geraghty 11st 9lbs	12 - 1

KUMBESHWAR BLINDER UNDER TOP WEIGHT

Despite carrying top weight of 11st 10lb the Alan King-trained Kumbeshwar ran a blinder to finish second in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

What A Charm, receiving 18lb, proved just too quick from the final flight, but King was thrilled with Kumbeshwar - and also with third-placed Dhaafer and fifth Jubail, who are also trained at his Barbury Castle Stables.

King said: “All three have run well and I’m very proud of them. Kumbeshwar has run a hell of a race at the weights. He’s getting better all the time and is a grand horse. I see no reason why all three won’t be out again this season - Dhaafer is crying out for two and a half miles, but that might not be until next season.

“We’ll see what happens to the horses who take part in the [JCB] Triumph Hurdle, but Kumbeshwar could go to Aintree for the Glenlivet Hurdle.”

Gordon Elliott had saddled two winners on the card, but he had to be content with fourth place thanks to 4/1 favourite Plan A. Elliott said: “He ran a great race, but was beaten by better horses. He travelled well but couldn’t quicken - we’ve no excuses.”

FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE PAST RESULTS

2010-WINNER-SANCTUAIRE 4-11-02 Owner-Jared Sullivan; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-4/1 Fav
2ND-Notus De La Tour 4-11-09 Owner-Racing For Change; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Johnny Farrelly; SP-13/2
3RD-Orsippus 4-11-00 Owner-Sandra Smith; Trainer-Michael Smith; Jockey-Davy Condon; SP-33/1
4TH-Son Amix 4-11-02 Owner-Whitechurch Stud Syndicate; Trainer-Tom Cooper IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-14/1 24 ran, Time-3m 55.63s; Dist-9, 1½ , 3

2009-WINNER-SILK AFFAIR 4-10-04 Owner-Liam Mulryan & Michael Fahy; Trainer-Mick Quinlan; Jockey-Tom O’Brien; SP-11/1
2ND-Ski Sunday 4-11-01 Owner-Scarlet Pimpernel; Trainer-Tim Vaughan; Jockey-Seamus Durack; SP-20/1
3RD-Saticon 4-11-01 Owner-S M Smith & Paul Duffen; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Wayne Hutchinson; SP-20/1
4TH-Alexander Severus 4-10-13 Owner-Patrick Wilmot; Trainer-Edward O’Grady IRE; Jockey-Andrew McNamara; SP-5/2 Fav 22 ran, Time-4m 5.06s; Dist-3, ¾, 1¾

2008-WINNER-CRACK AWAY JACK 4-11-10 Owner-GDM Partnership; Trainer-Emma Lavelle; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-14/1
2ND-Ashkazar 4-11-12 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-15/8 Fav
3RD-Grand Schlem 4-11-04 Owner-Mme M Destremau; Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Christophe Pieux; SP-12/1
4TH-Indian Spring 4-11-07 Owner-Noel Murphy; Trainer-Edward O’Grady IRE; Jockey-Andrew McNamara; SP-66/1 22 ran, Time-4m 13.5s; Dist-2½, 5, 14

2007-WINNER-GASPARA 4-10-11 Owner-Martin Pipe; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Andrew Glassonbury; SP-9/2 Joint Fav
2ND-Altilhar 4-10-08 Owner-H R Hunt; Trainer-Gary Moore; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-12/1
3RD-Laustra Bad 4-11-00 Owner-Sarah Ling; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-16/1
4TH-Zilcash 4-11-07 Owner-David Bellamy & Stephen Williams; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Gerard Tumelty; SP-50/1
24 ran, Time-3m 57.75s, Dist-5, nk, 3 9/2 Joint Fav Pouvoir (10th)

2006-WINNER-SHAMAYOUN 4-11-03 Owner-Ronald Brimacombe; Trainer-Charles Egerton; Jockey-Paddy Brennan; SP-40/1
2ND-Artist’s Muse 4-10-13 Owner-Seamus Ross; Trainer-Ted Walsh IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-12/1
3RD-Patman du Charmil 4-11-03 Owner-Raymond Mould; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Carl Llewellyn; SP-40/1
4TH-Gardasse 4-11-03 Owner-A S Helaissi; Trainer-Tom Tate; Jockey-Jason Maguire; SP-33/1
24 ran, Time-3m 57.20s, Dist-2.5, 2.5, 2.5 9/2 Fav Royals Darling (15th)

2005-WINNER-DABIROUN 4-11-04 Owner-Donal O’Gorman; Trainer-Paul Nolan IRE; Jockey-Miss Nina Carberry; SP-20/1
2ND-At Your Request 4-11-03 Owner-Cockbury Court Partnership; Trainer-Ian Williams; Jockey-David Dennis; SP-33/1
3RD-Nation State 4-11-04 Owner-J D Brownrigg; Trainer-Gary Moore; Jockey-Jamie Moore; SP-7/1
4TH-Miss Academy 4-11-12 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-16/1
14 ran, Time-3m 54.00s, Dist-8, 1.5 , 1.75 4/1 Fav Ease The Way (14th)

FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR
(First running in 2005)

Year Winner Age/Wt Jockey Trainer Owner SP Ran

2010 Sanctuaire 4-11-02 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Jared Sullivan 4/1F 24
2009 Silk Affair 4-10-04 Tom O’Brien Mick Quinlan Liam Mulryan & M C Fahy 11/1 22
2008 Crack Away Jack 4-11-10Paul Carberry Emma Lavelle GDM Partnership 14/1 22
2007 Gaspara 4-10-11 Andrew Glassonbury David Pipe Martin Pipe 9/2 JF 24
2006 Shamayoun 4-11-03 Paddy Brennan Charles Egerton Ronald Brimacombe 40/1 24
2005 Dabiroun 4-11-04 Miss Nina Carberry Paul Nolan IRE Donal O’Gorman 20/1 24