Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle |
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| Grade 3, Ascot 15:35 £150,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 152y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 17th December 2016 | |
1 Brain Power 12/1
2 Consul De Thaix 6/1
3 Fergall 25/1
4 Golden Spear 4/1F
19 ran Distances: 5l, nk, 6l
TIME 3m 39.90s (fast by 1.10s)
Brain Power led home a one-two for Nicky Henderson in the Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle at Ascot in the hands of David Mullins.
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Sternrubin, who dead-heated with the re-opposing Jolly's Cracked It for victory 12 months ago, ensured a strong pace from the off, but he had run his race before the home turn and dropped back through the field very quickly.
Brain Power, sent off at 12/1, was well placed behind Fergall who was at the head of affairs turning in and the pair opened up a commanding advantage heading to the last.
When they emerged from the fog, Brain Power was in front and he came home a comfortable winner with stablemate Consul De Thaix, who had finished second to the winner on their preceding start as well, collaring Fergall for minor honours.
The well backed 4/1 favourite Golden Spear came from off the pace to finish fourth.
Mullins said: "Two miles really suits. He goes flat to the boards and really stays. His form was good and Nicky had him spot-on."
Henderson said: "It's been a great race and is one of those big pre-Christmas handicaps that are very tough to win.
"You need a progressive horse, I think, and that is exactly what they (Brain Power and Consul De Thaix) both are.
"Brain Power was very good at Sandown and has won two good prizes. They were first and second there and they've been first and second again.
"You'd be worried they didn't have the experience for a race like this, running against seasoned handicappers, but both of them were very good."
Winning owner Michael Buckley added: "He did win very well.
"He's had his little moments of being a schoolboy about life and he's obviously growing up."
Brain Power could now be aimed at the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
Henderson said: "With that weight, that is a very good performance - it is a serious performance.
"We were going to chasing with him this season but his mind isn't ready for all this yet. But he has grown up a lot and it has grown up a lot from Sandown.
"He is getting the idea of it. We are learning a lot about him and he is going the right way. He just wants minding a bit more. We will have a bit of fun thinking about where we go next.
"You could say Newbury, but the handicapper will have his say."
Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle
£150,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 152y, Class 1
19 ran
Going: Good to Soft
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brain Power (IRE) 12/1 | D J Mullins 11-11 |
N J Henderson | 5 | |
| 2nd | 5 | Consul De Thaix (FR) 6/1 | J McGrath 10-11 |
N J Henderson | 4 |
| 3rd | nk | Fergall (IRE) 25/1 | Kevin Jones (5) 10-12 |
J W Mullins | 9 |
| 4th | 6 | Golden Spear 4/1f | D Meyler (3) 10-1 |
A J Martin | 5 |
| 5th | nk | Quick Jack (IRE) 14/1 | G B Watters (3) 11-10 |
A J Martin | 7 |
| 6th | ¾ | Pyromaniac (IRE) 25/1 | D F O'Regan 11-1 |
A J Martin | 6 |
| 7th | ¾ | Modus 6/1 | B J Geraghty 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 6 |
| 8th | 2¼ | Chesterfield (IRE) 33/1 | Daniel Sansom (10) 10-10 |
J W Mullins | 6 |
| 9th | 4 | Wolf Of Windlesham (IRE) 20/1 | Joshua Moore 10-13 |
Stuart Edmunds | 4 |
| 10th | 7 | Waxies Dargle 25/1 | C Brassil (7) 11-10 |
N Meade | 7 |
| 11th | 1 | Sternrubin (GER) 12/1 | T J O'Brien 11-6 |
P J Hobbs | 5 |
| 12th | 7 | Diego Du Charmil (FR) 16/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-3 |
P F Nicholls | 4 |
| 13th | 2¼ | Jolly's Cracked It (FR) 12/1 | N D Fehily 11-9 |
H Fry | 7 |
| 14th | 3½ | Hargam (FR) 50/1 | A Tinkler 11-12 |
N J Henderson | 5 |
| 15th | hd | Rayvin Black 50/1 | Thomas Garner (3) 11-6 |
O Sherwood | 7 |
| 16th | 8 | Meet The Legend 9/1 | Harry Skelton 11-0 |
D Skelton | 5 |
| 17th | 1 | Who Dares Wins (IRE) 14/1 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-11 |
A King | 4 |
| 18th | 32 | Unison (IRE) 50/1 | Matt Griffiths 10-8 |
J Scott | 6 |
| 19th | 1½ | Willow's Saviour 33/1 | Bridget Andrews (3) 11-0 |
D Skelton | 9 |
WESSEX YOUTH TRUST HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR (1987-2015)
Run at Sandown in 2005 (January 7, 2006) and in 2004 (January 8, 2005); run at Leopardstown in January up to & including 2000
Year Winner Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2012 CAUSE OF CAUSES 4-10-03 JP McManus, Gordon Elliot,t DJ Condon 25/1
2011 RAYA STAR 5-10-01 Simon Munir A King W Hutchinson 12/1
2010 Abandoned due to frost
2009 Abandoned due to snow
2008 SENTRY DUTY 6-11-09 Peter Spiller Nicky Henderson Barry Geraghty 12/1
2007 JACK THE GIANT 5-11-00 Hanbury Syndicate Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 9/4F
2006 ACAMBO 5-11-09 David Johnson David Pipe Timmy Murphy 7/1
2005 DESERT AIR 7-10-09 Belinda Harvey Martin Pipe Tom Scudamore 25/1
2004 TAMARINBLEU 5-10-11 Arthur White Partnership Martin Pipe Tony McCoy 14/1
2003 THESIS 5-11-02 1961 Partnership Venetia Williams Brian Crowley 33/1
2002 CHAUVINIST 7-10-00 Bunny & Nick Roberts Nicky Henderson Norman Williamson 15/2
2001 MARBLE ARCH 5-10-11 Martin & Mary Wilson Rory SweetHughie Morrison Norman Williamson 7/1
2000 MANTLES PRINCE 6-9-12 R J McSharry Pat Hughes IRE Fran Berry 12/1
1999 ARCHIVE FOOTAGE 7-11-08 Michael Smurfit Dermot Weld IRE David Evans 25/1
1998 GRAPHIC EQUALISER 6-10-00 BRASK Syndicate Arthur Moore IRE Conor O’Dwyer 5/1F
1997 MASTER TRIBE 7-10-04 Jebel Ali Racing Stables Jenny Pitman Norman Williamson 18/1
1996 DANCE BEAT 5-9-12 Mrs E Queally Jessica Harrington IRE Anthony Powell 12/1
1995 ANUSHA 5-10-02 G A Hoggard Michael Hourigan IRE Shane Broderick 25/1
1994 ATONE 7-10-08 Robert Sinclair Bunny Cox IRE Kevin O’Brien 10/1
1993 GLENCLOUD 5-10-13 D Tierney Noel Meade IRE Gerry O’Neill 20/1
1992 HOW’S THE BOSS 6-10-02 Edward Farrell John Brassill IRE Jason Titley 20/1
1991 THE ILLIAD 10-10-13 Elizabeth Furlong Andy Geraghty IRE Pat McWilliams 7/1
1990 REDUNDANT PAL 7-11-05 P S O’Neill Paddy Mullins IRE Conor O’Dwyer 20/1
1989 REDUNDANT PAL 6-10-00 P S O’Neill Paddy Mullins IRE P Kavanagh 16/1
1988 ROARK 6-11-01 P Leeper Arthur Moore IRE Tom Taaffe 5/1
1987 BARNBROOK AGAIN 6-11-08 Mel Davies David Elsworth Colin Brown 5/2F
