2011 result

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Captain Chris Returns to Form in Amlin 1965 Chase
24/11/12

1 Captain Chris 7/2
2 For Non Stop 100/30
3 Ghizao 10/1
NR: Quincy Des Pictons (FR)
4 ran Distances: 3¾l, hd, 20l
TIME 5m 1.70s (slow by 27.70s)

Captain Chris bounced back to form with a convincing win in the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot as Finian's Rainbow trailed home last of the four runners.

Captain Chris
© racing-images.co.uk

The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding had beaten Finian's Rainbow in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March 2011 but things had not gone smoothly since then, though the 7-2 shot travelled kindly in the hands of Richard Johnson as he shared pacemaking duties with Ghizao, being keen to keep to the inside given his tendency to jump to his right.

Shrugging Ghizao aside, Captain Chris kept up the gallop to score by three and three-quarter lengths from For Non Stop with Ghizao third and last season's Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Finian's Rainbow a tired fourth.

Hobbs, who had been struggling with flooded roads earlier in the week in the Minehead area, said: "He always jumps right on the racecourse, but his schooling has been a lot better this year.

"The King George would be the obvious race to go for now. He'd like better ground and was third in it last year, so I don't think the trip will be a problem."

Nicky Henderson said of Finian's Rainbow: "Barry (Geraghty) told me to ignore the run, the excuse was ground, ground, ground and ground.

"They either go in it or they don't. We haven't learnt anything today and you wouldn't think about the King George if it was soft."

Amlin 1965 Chase
£50,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 3f, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Heavy