Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Aintree 16:40 £100,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1  |
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| Friday 7th April 2017 | |
1 The Worlds End 3/1
2 Beyond Conceit 9/1
3 Debece 11/1
11 ran NR: Moulin A Vent
Distances: ½l, shd, ¾l Time: 6m 5.80s (slow by 11.80s)
The Worlds End flattens the final flight but clings on to land the Sefton for Adrian Heskin & Tom George
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The Tom George-trained The Worlds End atoned for his fall in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with a gutsy success.
Ridden by Adrian Heskin, the six-year-old son of Stowaway travelled powerfully into the race and stayed on resolutely in the closing stages to fend off the challenge of Nicky Henderson's Beyond Conceit by half a length in the extended three mile event.
Tim Vaughan's Debece was a short-head back in third.
A delighted George said: "He was travelling very easily at Cheltenham last time, probably easier than he was today. He had a hard fall and we have done a lot of schooling with him and today he has put it right - he deserves a good holiday now.
"We'll sit down with the owners and worry about future plans in the summer. I think there is more improvement to come over hurdles and he should strengthen up over the summer but I might stick with hurdles but I will see how it goes."
Reflecting on his partnership with Heskin, which has been one of the success stories of the season, George continued: "It's great to get a Grade One. We have some big winners all season and we are high up in the trainer's table and it is going brilliantly.
"We get on well together, we understand each other and it's going well. It has been a great move for the both of us as I knew the yard was getting stronger and bigger which I think the results have proved and we needed our own jockey day in day out because we had more horses and better ones."
Winning owner Max McNeill, said: "Alan King always said to me it is great looking like you are going to win but you have got the jump the hurdles or fences. We thought The Worlds End had a right chance at Cheltenham and we were disappointed coming away on Gold Cup day.
"I was so nervous coming here because we also had Keeper Hill in the race. He ran a blinder and but for stumbling at the last, might have been second or third. I think he would have stayed on really well.
"The Worlds End is a relentless galloper and is as tough as old boots. He has had a great season. You dream of horses like this.
"Thistlecrack won this race two years ago and, don't get me wrong we are no Thistlecrack, but I spoke to Tom beforehand and he said win, lose or draw we will go the staying hurdle route next season.
"Tom is a fantastic trainer and is having his best ever season. I think this caps it for him and for us."
Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
£100,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1
11 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | The Worlds End (IRE) 3/1 | A P Heskin 11-4 |
T R George | 6 | |
| 2nd | ½ | Beyond Conceit (IRE) 9/1 | B J Geraghty 11-4 |
N J Henderson | 8 |
| 3rd | s.h | Debece 11/1 | Alan Johns 11-4 |
Tim Vaughan | 6 |
| 4th | ¾ | Constantine Bay 11/4f | Nico de Boinville 11-4 |
N J Henderson | 6 |
| 5th | 9 | Ballymalin (IRE) 16/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-4 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 7 |
| 6th | 8 | Keeper Hill (IRE) 9/1 | G Sheehan 11-4 |
W Greatrex | 6 |
| 7th | 13 | Elegant Escape (IRE) 25/1 | T J O'Brien 11-4 |
C L Tizzard | 5 |
| 8th | 6 | Get On The Yager 10/1 | Harry Skelton 11-4 |
D Skelton | 7 |
| 9th | 44 | Testify (IRE) 33/1 | W T Kennedy 11-4 |
D McCain Jnr | 6 |
| PU | Monbeg Charmer (IRE) 18/1 | B Hughes 11-4 |
C E Longsdon | 6 | |
| PU | West Approach 8/1 | T Scudamore 11-4 |
C L Tizzard | 7 | |
| NR | Moulin A Vent | S W Flanagan 11-4 |
N Meade | 5 |
HENDERSON BEYOND PLEASED
Nicky Henderson trained the second and fourth home and was pleased with both of his runners.
"They have both run very very well." He said.
Beyond Conceit, a useful handicapper on the Flat before he came to the Lambourn handler, stepped up on his most recent run, sixth in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham with his half-length second to The Worlds End.
Henderson continued: "With Beyond Conceit, we have gone from two to three miles in one step! He got that though.
"Barry gave him a great ride and he dropped the bit today. He has been pulling far too hard but he got home today.
"I think he will have a little break and come back for the Ascot Stakes (Royal Ascot, June). After that, he will make a good three-mile hurdler.
"Constantine Bay [fourth] has run a great race at the end of a long season."
