Stella Artois 1965 Chase |
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| Grade 2, Ascot 14:05 £70,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 5f 8y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 19th November 2016 | |
1 Royal Regatta 10/1
2 Kylemore Lough 13/2
3 God's Own 7/2
7 ran Distances: hd, 1¾l, ¾l
TIME 5m 14.90s (slow by 6.90s)
A beautiful round of jumping and brave run-in saw Royal Regatta land the Stella Artois 1965 Chase
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Philip Hobbs' Royal Regatta had plenty to find on the figures in the two mile five Grade Two Chase but has run some of his best races at Ascot and so it proved again.
His task was made easier when 9/4 favourite Dodging Bullets was pulled up before Swinley Bottom but he still had to work hard for success.
The 10/1 chance was being kept up to his work by Tom O'Brien and Kylemore Lough loomed up before the home turn looking dangerous before dropping back.
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Jamie Moore summoned another challenge out of Kylemore Lough who ate into the leader's advantage after the last but the pair were a head down at the line.
God's Own held on for third from Eduard who finished strongly after seeming to get a second wind on his first start for 618 days with Vibrato Valtat also making some late gains.
Hobbs' wife Sarah said: "Philip was umming and ahhing about running him, but he likes going this way round and he likes Ascot.
"It was 'catch me if you can' and Tom is a Saturday rider at the moment.
"He was behind a few of these at Aintree, but everything was perfect today. The ground was right and Tom was super on him.
"He rode him with conviction which he needs as he is a bit soft and he needs someone to say 'come on' let's go'.
"We are thrilled to bits and today was the day. Tom did say when he won two years ago that there would be a big race in him and he has proved that today."
Paul Nicholls tweeted that former Champion Chase winner Dodging Bullets "appears OK".
Kerry Lee said of the runner-up: "We are delighted, he has run a blinder first time out. He has made the transition from novice company to top-class open company with aplomb and we certainly hope there is more to come.
"We won't be stepping back (in trip) and two and half on proper soft ground is fine, but we will step him up in time.
"I'd like to think he could make a seriously nice staying chaser in the future. We are getting there gradually. He is a smashing young horse and is still only seven, so the best is yet to come.
"He is entered in the John Durkan at Punchestown and that is not to dissimilar to here and that's a Grade One."
God's Own was trying the trip for the first time and his trainer Tom George said: "We thought it was borderline running him before the race and it was too soft. I don't think there are any problems with the trip - he can't operate on the ground
"He will be kept going until mid-December, but we are just very ground dependent. He will have a good break, but we will keep him on the go a bit longer."
Stella Artois 1965 Chase
£70,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 5f 8y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Royal Regatta (IRE) 10/1 | T J O'Brien 11-7 |
P J Hobbs | 8 | |
| 2nd | hd | Kylemore Lough 13/2 | J E Moore 11-7 |
Kerry Lee | 7 |
| 3rd | 1¾ | God's Own (IRE) 7/2 | A P Heskin 11-11 |
T R George | 8 |
| 4th | ¾ | Eduard (IRE) 7/1 | Craig Nichol 11-1 |
N G Richards | 8 |
| 5th | 3 | Vibrato Valtat (FR) 7/1 | Sean Bowen 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 7 |
| 6th | 13 | Third Intention (IRE) 10/1 | D A Jacob 11-7 |
C L Tizzard | 9 |
| PU | Dodging Bullets 9/4f | Nick Scholfield 11-1 |
P F Nicholls | 8 |
