Big Buck's Manifesto Novices' Chase |
|
| Grade 1, Aintree 13:45 £100,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 3f 200y, Class 1  |
|
| Thursday 5th April 2018 | |
1 Finian's Oscar 5/2
2
Rene's Girl 8/1
3
Calino D'Airy 33/1
6 ran Distances: 2l, 3¼l, 1¾l
Time: 5m 16.00s (slow by 28.00s)
 |
The Colin Tizzard-trained six-year-old hit a couple of fences and looked like finishing last of the six runners at the far end of the course, but Robbie Power bided his time and his partner's late show carried him through for a two-length win over Rene's Girl. Third home was Calino D'Airy.
Finian's Oscar could finish only fifth at Cheltenham in the G1 JLT Novices' Chase over today's two-and-a-half mile trip, and Tizzard admitted: "The whole way round today I was thinking of what Robbie said at Cheltenham, that the horse needed three miles. He clobbered one down the back, but was always just in touch. He raced lazily, but he's a strong stayer and could make a Hennessy horse.
"Like a lot of our horses he wasn't right at Christmas, but horses aren't always at the very top all the time. People expect them to turn up and win, but it's not like that. If they turn up here and win we are quite happy. Good horses don't win every time. Cheltenham form is always the best of the season and he didn't run badly there.
"It didn't look very promising for a while today, but he was still close enough. He's bang right now.
"Initially, I'm thinking of Punchestown - it's a good job Joe [his son and assistant] remembered to enter him for there yesterday. I don't think we're finished yet because he hasn't raced much this season.
"Robbie is a master horseman. He was at pains not to put the horse at anything, then he did and the horse clobbered a couple. He'll come back in and say the horse is a three-miler, but he's a class rider."
"I thought that if he could get a couple of good leaps in at the final two fences, then he would have a chance. After jumping the last fence well, I knew he would win.
"Three miles is the perfect trip for him. We got away with two miles and four furlongs today, but he is definitely a horse who is better going up in trip."
"His jumping has been a problem but he jumped absolutely brilliantly for the first circuit - he was foot-perfect. When we starting quickening down the back straight, he gets a bit unsure of himself and he just needs his confidence.
"It's soft ground - it's no worse and probably no better."
Big Buck's Manifesto Novices' Chase
£100,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 3f 200y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Finian's Oscar (IRE) 5/2 | R M Power 11-4 |
C L Tizzard | 6 | |
| 2nd | 2 | Rene's Girl (IRE) 8/1 | Harry Skelton 10-11 |
D Skelton | 8 |
| 3rd | 3¼ | Calino D'Airy (FR) 33/1 | S W Flanagan 11-4 |
H de Bromhead | 6 |
| 4th | 1¾ | Cyrname (FR) 2/1f | Sean Bowen 11-4 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 5th | 9 | Modus 14/1 | B J Geraghty 11-4 |
P F Nicholls | 8 |
| F | Brain Power (IRE) 5/2 | Nico de Boinville 11-4 |
N J Henderson | 7 |
