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Marsh Novices' Chase
 QuinnBet
Cheltenham 13:30
Grade 1, £150,000 added,
5yo plus,
2m 4f 5y, Class 1    
Thursday 12th March 2020

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1 Samcro 4/1
2 Melon 14/1
3 Faugheen 3/1F
12 ran Distances: nse, 1l, 3¼l
Time: 5m 7.32s (slow by 21.32s)

Samcro has long been regarded as a top-class operator by his connections and rediscovered the winning thread with a gutsy performance.
 
Trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Davy Russell, the eight-year-old son of Germany had undergone wind surgery since his last start in December and built a new stable at Elliott's yard in Cullentra, County Meath, Ireland
 
This performance was a culmination of months of hard work by Elliott and his team as he gamely saw off the gallant Melon by a nose in a thrilling finish to the opener. Dual Cheltenham Festival hero Faugheen, who like the runner-up is also trained by Willie Mullins, was a length back in third.
 
This was Elliott's fourth victory of The Festival™ presented by Magners 2020 (Ravenhill, G2 National Hunt Chase; Envoi Allen, G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and Aramax, G3 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) and his 29th success in total at the meeting. He now leads the Irish Independent Leading Trainer Award (based on his five second-placed finishes).
 
Reflecting on a second success at The Festival for Samcro following his win in the 2018 G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Elliott said: "Samcro is the forgotten horse. He is one the favourites in the yard and we love him. 
 
"Samcro was in the doldrums for a while and had lost his way, so it means a lot to get him back to win another G1 at Cheltenham.
 
"You can see how much it means to everyone in the yard. All the girls and Jack Madden who looks after him everyday, have done all the hard work with this horse.
 
"They have spent day and night trying to get this horse right. He hasn't been scoping clean and it has been hard to get him to scope right - thankfully it has paid off today.
 
"It is great. Everyone was knocking him when he was in the doldrums - I probably lost a bit of faith in him myself. The horses are flying and all running well, I just can't believe it.
 
"As you know, we've built a new stable for Samcro and he lives outside.
 
"I thought he had just got there on the line. Davy said that he missed the second-last and he was on the back-foot, so it was great to see him win.
 
"It was a great race to watch with Melon, Faugheen and Samcro battling it out, it is what we are all here for. 
 
"He's had his issues, but he was right today and it was job done. Jack Madden said to me this week that he hadn't been this well since the Ballymore and he has looked better everyday.
 
"I'm delighted for the team, it's a great effort from everyone and all of the team back home will enjoy this as well.
 
"It was a great feeling for him to win. Just to have him back is brilliant."

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Marsh Novices' Chase
(Registered as The Golden Miller Novices' Chase)
Grade 1, £150,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 4f 5y, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1      Samcro 8 11-4 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 4/1
2 nse Melon 8 11-4 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 14/1
3 1 Faugheen 12 11-4 W P Mullins Paul Townend 3/1F
4 3¼ Mister Fisher 6 11-4 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 7/1
5 4¾ Tornado Flyer 7 11-4 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 10/1
6 1¼ Midnight Shadow 7 11-4 Sue Smith Danny Cook 22/1
7 2¾ Saint Sonnet 5 11-3 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 33/1
8 12 Bapaume 7 11-4 W P Mullins Rachael Blackmore 20/1
9 40 Annie Mc 6 10-11 Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr 18/1
10 16 Poker Play v7 11-4 David Pipe Tom Scudamore 100/1
PU Reserve Tank 6 11-4 Colin Tizzard Robbie Power 12/1
UR Itchy Feet 6 11-4 Olly Murphy Gavin Sheehan 7/2

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Previous results - MARSH NOVICES’ CHASE

Year Winner Age/Wt Jockey Trainer Owner SP Ran
2019 Defi Du Seuil 6-11-04 Barry Geraghty Philip Hobbs JP McManus 3/1F 10

2018-WINNER-SHATTERED LOVE 5-10-11 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Jack Kennedy; SP-4/1
2ND-Terrefort 5-11-03 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Daryl Jacob; SP-3/1 Fav
3RD-Benatar 6-11-04 Owner-Ashley Head; Trainer-Gary Moore; Jockey-Jamie Moore; SP-10/1
9 ran, Time-5m 11.80s Dist-7, 12

2017-WINNER-YORKHILL 7-11-04 Owner-Andrea & Graham Wylie; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/4 Fav
2ND-Top Notch 6-11-04 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Daryl Jacob; SP-7/2
3RD-Disko 6-11-04 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gigginstown House Stud; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-4/1 8 ran, Time-5m 0.20s Dist-1, 3

2016-BLACK HERCULES 7-11-04 Owner-Andrea & Graham Wylie; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-4/1 Co- Fav
2ND-Bristol De Mai 5-11-04 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Daryl Jacob; SP-4/1 Co-Fav
3RD-L’Ami Serge 6-11-04 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Nico de Boinville; SP-8/1
9 ran, Time-4m 55.20s Dist-3, 1 4/1 Co-Fav Garde La Victoire (Fell)

2015-VAUTOUR 6-11-04 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/4 Fav
2ND-Apache Stronghold 7-11-04 Owner-Patricia Hunt; Trainer-Noel Meade IRE; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-7/1
3RD-Valseur Lido 6-11-04 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-9/2
8 ran, Time-4m 46.30s Dist-15, sh

2014-TAQUIN DU SEUIL 7-11-04 Owner-Martin Broughton & Friends 1; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-A P McCoy; SP-7/1
2ND-Uxizandre 6-11-04 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-33/1
3RD-Double Ross 8-11-04 Owner-Options O Syndicate; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Sam Twiston-Davies; SP-11/1
12 ran, Time-4m 56.72s Dist-¾, 1¼ 7/2 Fav Felix Younger (4th)

2013-WINNER-BENEFFICIENT 7-11-04 Owner-Adrian Shiels & Niall Reilly; Trainer-Tony Martin IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-20/1
2ND-Dynaste 7-11-04 Owner-John White; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-11/8 Fav
3RD-Changing Times 7-11-04 Owner-C J Haughey; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Sam Twiston-Davies; SP-100/1
13 ran, Time-5m 4.80s Dist-3¼, 1

2012-WINNER-SIR DES CHAMPS 6-11-04 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-3/1
2ND-Champion Court 7-11-04 Owner-Martin Boothwright; Trainer-Martin Keighley; Jockey-Alain Cawley; SP-8/1
3RD-For Non Stop 7-11-04 Owner-Chris Giles & Jared Sullivan; Trainer-Nick Williams; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-8/1
10 ran, Time-4m 52.80s Dist-4½, 9

2011-WINNER-NOBLE PRINCE 7-11-04 Owner-Des Sharkey; Trainer-Paul Nolan IRE; Jockey-A P McCoy; SP-4/1
2ND-Wishfull Thinking 8-11-04 Owner-Diana Whateley; Trainer-Philip Hobbs; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-7/2 Fav
3RD-Loosen My Load 7-11-04 Owner-Alan & Ann Potts Partnership; Trainer-Henry De Bromhead IRE; Jockey-Andrew Lynch; SP-15/2
11 ran, Time-4m 49.82s Dist-4, 5

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