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Flaxen Flare Strikes in Fred Winter
13/03/13

1 Flaxen Flare 25/1
2 Caid du Berlais 20/1
3 Ptit Zig 22/1
4 Milord 16/1
24 ran Distances: 4½l, 1¾l, 7l
TIME 4m 1.22s (slow by 10.22s)

Bought in October for 105,000gns, Flaxen Flare rewarded owner Pat Sloan when burning off his rivals in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Flaxen Flare
© Racehorse Photos

The Gordon Elliott-trained four-year-old was a useful Flat performer who joined his current trainer when going through the ring at Tattersalls' Horses-in-Training Sale last autumn. He won his first hurdle start, but was beaten in two subsequent runs. However, in first-time blinkers today he scooted clear of runner-up Caid Du Berlais to win by four and a half lengths, with Ptit Zig another length and three-quarters back in third.

Elliott said: "We bought him as a dual-purpose horse who could run on the Flat and over Jumps on the big days for a bit of craic. If he never wins again it doesn't matter - his job is done.

"He ran very well the first time over hurdles, then we felt the ground was too soft for him on his second outing. It didn't work out on the third occasion, but that left him with a nice handicap mark and this became the plan. He travelled so well that I was afraid Davy [Condon] hit the front too soon, but it all worked out okay.

"We put blinkers on because he had become a bit lairy - he was like that on his last couple of runs on the Flat so we stuck them on and he was fine. Now we'll have a few days out on the Flat.

"This is great for me and for the Sloans, who have been very supportive of my yard. Every race at the Festival is hard to win, but we'll have a drink or two tonight."

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
£75,000 added, 4yo only, 2m 110y, Class 1
24 ran
Going: Good to soft, soft in places

CONSOLATION PRIZES FOR NICHOLLS

Paul Nicholls had the disappointment of his stable's first string Saphir Du Rheu finishing only 20th as 6/1 joint favourite in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle, but had the slight consolation of picking up second and third places with his other two runners, Caid Du Berlais at 20/1 and Ptit Zig at 22/1.

"They've both run really good races," he said. "They're different types. Caid Du Berlais had some of the best form going into the race and now we've learned how to ride him he'll win a nice hurdle race somewhere along the line. Ptit Zig is a big baby, a chaser in the making for next year.

"Saphir Du Rheu made a bad mistake, and that was that."

FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE PAST RESULTS

2012-WINNER-UNE ARTISTE 4-10-08 Owner-Simon Munir; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Jeremiah McGrath; SP-40/1
2ND-Edeymi 4-11-07 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Tony Martin IRE; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-11/1
3RD-Vendor 4-11-01 Owner-Thurloe 52; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-3/1 Fav
4TH-Kazlian 4-11-02 Owner-Twelve Pipers Piping; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-7/1
24 ran, Time-3m 53.84s; Dist-1¾, ½, 1¼

2011-WINNER-WHAT A CHARM 4-10-06 Owner-Chris Jones; Trainer-Arthur Moore IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-9/1
2ND-Kumbeshwar 4-11-10 Owner-McNeill Family & Nigel Bunter; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Charlie Huxley; SP-33/1
3RD-Dhaafer 4-10-10 Owner-Simon Munir; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-16/1
4TH-Plan A 4-11-08 Owner-Liam Mulryan; Trainer-Gordon Elliot IRE; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-4/1Fav
23 ran, Time-3m 58.50s; Dist- neck, 4½ , 1¾

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

2012 Une Artiste 4-10-08 Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson Simon Munir 40/1 24
2011 What A Charm 4-10-06 Paul Townend Arthur Moore Chris Jones 9/1 23
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

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle commemorates one of the greatest figures in the history of Jump racing both as a jockey and trainer. Fred Winter, who died aged 77 in April, 2004, was champion jockey four times and rode the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner twice (1961 Saffron Tartan, 1962 Mandarin) and won the Stan James Champion Hurdle on three occasions as a rider (1955 Clair Soleil, 1959 Fare Time, 1961 Eborneezer). He had 17 Festival successes as a jockey. He retired from the saddle at Cheltenham's spring meeting in 1964 and went on to be champion trainer on eight occasions. He won four Champion Hurdles as a trainer (1971 and 1972 Bula, 1974 Lanzarote, 1988 Celtic Shot) and, although the Cheltenham Gold Cup proved elusive for a long while as a trainer, he finally landed the race in 1978 with Midnight Court. He saddled a total of 28 Festival winners and holds the unique feat of having been the only man to have both ridden and trained winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.

The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle was one of the new races introduced in 2005 to The Festival when the meeting was extended to four days.

FIELD SIZE
The Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle has a safety limit of 24 and the maximum field has lined up on five occasions - 2005, 2005, 2007, 2010 & 2012.

WEIGHTS
Crack Away Jack is the only top-weight to win, having defied 11st 10lb in 2008. Silk Affair carried 10st 4lb to success in 2009 - the lowest-weighted horse to succeed.

MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINER
No trainer has saddled more than one winner.

MOST SUCCESSFUL JOCKEY
No jockey has ridden more than one winner.

OVERSEAS-TRAINED WINNERS
There have been two Irish-trained winners - Dabiroun for Paul Nolan in 2005 and What A Charm for Arthur Moore in 2011.

MARES
Four mares have won – Gaspara (2007), Silk Affair (2009), What A Charm (2011) and Une Artiste (2012).

BETTING
Sanctuaire is the shortest-priced winner, scoring at odds of 4/1 in 2010, and Gaspara, sent off 9/2 jointfavourite in 2007, is the only other favourite to oblige. There have been two 40/1 winners in the race’s short history – Shamayoun (2006) and Une Artiste (2012).

DID YOU KNOW?
The inaugural running went to Dabiroun, partnered by amateur rider Nina Carberry. She became the second female jockey to win a Festival race other than the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase, following on from Gee Armytage.

David Pipe enjoyed his first Festival success in 2007 with Gaspara, who also netted a £75,000 bonus put up by bookmaker Sunderlands for any horse that landed the Sunderlands Imperial Cup and a race at The Festival. For good measure, his father Martin owned the filly.