Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Aintree 15:40 £150,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 8th April 2017 | |
1 Yanworth 9/4F
2 Supasundae 5/1
3 Snow Falcon 9/1
11 ran NR: The New One
Distances: 1l, ¾l, 1¾l Time: 6m 3.40s (slow by 9.40s)
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A relieved Alan King greeted Yanworth as he returned after winning the Grade One under Barry Geraghty.
The J P McManus-owned seven-year-old disappointed when favourite on his last outing for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, finishing seventh.
The step up to three miles appeared to suit him today, and Yanworth, the 9/4 favourite, came home a length clear of Supasundae.
"It's been a tough couple of festivals," admitted King. "I didn't bring a huge team up here to Aintree, and we've had four third placings.
"I am relieved more than anything. I am delighted with him. We hoped three miles would suit but he had never been that far before. It was a long run-in and he has pulled it out.
"He won a Christmas Hurdle and a Kingwell, so we had to go [to the] Champion Hurdle but it didn't work. It was a brave call, going straight to three miles from two miles. I wasn't confident today, I must admit, but we got away it."
Jockey Barry Geraghty was delighted that Yanworth put a below-par performance at Cheltenham last month behind him when capturing the Grade One prize.
"Yanworth fumbled the third last," said Geraghty. "I just didn't want to commit because I didn't want to land in front and he made a mess of it. He recovered quickly and was good at the last.
"Maybe the trip found him out in Cheltenham but I would say he is better than that. He probably underperformed as he got very warm beforehand. He is a middle-distance stayer really.
"This a lovely race to win."
Liverpool Stayers' Hurdle
£150,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1
11 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Yanworth 9/4f | B J Geraghty 11-7 |
A King | 7 | |
| 2nd | 1 | Supasundae 5/1 | R M Power 11-7 |
Mrs J Harrington | 7 |
| 3rd | ¾ | Snow Falcon (IRE) 9/1 | S W Flanagan 11-7 |
N Meade | 7 |
| 4th | 1¾ | Taquin Du Seuil (FR) 20/1 | Aidan Coleman 11-7 |
Jonjo O'Neill | 10 |
| 5th | 3½ | Ballyoptic (IRE) 7/1 | R Johnson 11-7 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 7 |
| 6th | 18 | Ptit Zig (FR) 14/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 8 |
| 7th | 12 | Three Musketeers (IRE) 25/1 | Harry Skelton 11-7 |
D Skelton | 7 |
| 8th | 8 | Aux Ptits Soins (FR) 20/1 | Sean Bowen 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 7 |
| PU | Cole Harden (IRE) 4/1 | G Sheehan 11-7 |
W Greatrex | 8 | |
| PU | Different Gravey (IRE) 16/1 | Nico de Boinville 11-7 |
N J Henderson | 7 | |
| PU | Puffin Billy (IRE) 33/1 | L P Aspell 11-7 |
O Sherwood | 9 | |
| NR | The New One (IRE) | Non Runner 11-7 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 9 |
SUNDAE FINISHES SUPA SECOND
Jessica Harrington was delighted with the run of Supasundae, who finished a creditable length second.
Jockey Robbie Power and owners Alan & Ann Potts have registered four winners at this year's Randox Health Grand National Festival, but the seven-year-old son of Galileo could not add to that tally despite battling on gamely behind Alan King's tenacious winner.
Supasundae did not return to the winners' enclosure and instead headed straight to the wash down area after the race. Harrington reported her charge to be fine however.
She said: "He was just a bit warm. He got warm beforehand and then Robbie took the saddle off and thought he was warm also after the race. He was absolutely fine and pulled up grand."
This was a superb run from the gelding, just 24 days after his Coral Cup victory at the Cheltenham Festival and Harrington was pleased that the horse had also handled the step up in trip.
She continued: "It was an unbelievable run. He kicked the third last out - Robbie didn't lose much momentum but it must have taken something out of him.
"To come back after running his heart out at the Cheltenham Festival - it was a quick enough gap between the two races. It's ok when you're only going down the road, but he has had two strange journey's to different stables.
"That's him for the year. He won't go to Punchestown. He has proved that he is probably a G1 horse. He gets three miles, which gives you plenty of options of where to go and what we can do with him."
Reflecting on potential plans for next season, the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer remarked: "We're going to see if he jumps fences. He has the stamp of a chaser. I'm not sure if a Galileo will win over fences but I've got to break the mould. He jumps hurdles very well. He jumps them rather than hurdles them but we'll just have to wait and see."
Robbie Power, Supasundae's jockey was narrowly denied a five-timer at the meeting. He added: "He's fine. The horse is 100% and he is just gone down to the cooling area. It's a hot day but he's good. He has run a cracker in his first run in a G1."
ROYAL ASCOT A POSSIBLE FOR SNOW FALCON
Noel Meade, the trainer of third-placed Snow Falcon, said: "It was a good run and we have to be happy. It would be nicer to win, but we were beaten and there are no excuses. He ran a good race, jumped great and I thought we might do it going to the last.
"I don't think he liked the ups and downs of Cheltenham - he's had a little trouble with his back throughout his life, and the ups and downs perhaps didn't suit, but he jumped and travelled much better today. He got into the race very easily today.
"He might go to Punchestown for the Stayers' Hurdle there, but I had always hoped he would go for the Ascot Stakes over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot. I'd have to make sure he could get into it, but he's probably borderline - I'd like to give him a run before that, but I'd also like to give him a bit of a break, so it's going to be difficult to get everything done.
"He's been a good servant, he's taken us to some good places, and he's still young."
Sean Flanagan, who rode Snow Falcon, said: "I thought he was going to pick them up, but it wasn't to be. He was flat out early on, but jumped really well and battled on."
