Betfair Exchange Trophy 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 22nd December 2018 | |
1 Mohaayed 16/1
2 Lisp 13/2
3 Western Ryder 7/1
4 Grand Sancy 14/1
21 ran Distances: 2¼l, 1l, 2¾l
Time: 3m 47.90s (slow by 6.90s)
Mohaayed wins for Dan and Harry Skelton at Ascot
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The success of Willow's Saviour in this race in 2013 put Dan and Harry Skelton on the map as a formidable trainer-and-jockey combination, and they have enjoyed hundreds of winners in the meantime.
One of the biggest was Mohaayed (16/1) in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, and he was 6lb higher this time.
Racing in cheekpieces for the first time, the six-year-old was sent on a long way out but kept on responding to pressure.
Alan King's Lisp emerged out of the pack to throw down the gauntlet, but a big leap at the last from the leader enabled him to win by two and a quarter lengths.
Winning jockey Harry Skelton told ITV Racing: "With Willow's Saviour, it was where it all started, so to come back and win it again is great.
"We've had an unbelievable year with a lot of winners, but we were saying yesterday it is the bigger days you need to hit the target. We were relying on Mohaayed - he's done it before, and he's done it again.
"The last day in the Greatwood, he's a bit of a monkey, he dropped himself out - so we put cheekpieces on today to sharpen him up, and it's a welcome Christmas present for everyone at home."
Dan Skelton said: "I said to Harry the other day 'when you have these horses you have got to forget about plans and enjoy today'. He has just won the second most valuable handicap in Britain.
"He is just an incredible horse. I just hope he can keep contesting races like this and stay sound and healthy. When we won this race with Willow's Saviour Paul (Nicholls) ran Ptit Zig off top weight, and he went on to be a Grade One winner.
"This horse is not old, and he will have to be given an entry in the Champion Hurdle. I shouldn't think he will go for the Betfair. He falls in a hard place now - but he has just won the second most valuable two-mile handicap hurdle."
Betfair Exchange Trophy Handicap Hurdle
£150,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 152y, Class 1
21 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mohaayed 16/1 | Harry Skelton 11-10 |
D Skelton | 6 | |
| 2nd | 2¼ | Lisp (IRE) 13/2 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-5 |
A King | 4 |
| 3rd | 1 | Western Ryder (IRE) 7/1 | R Johnson 11-10 |
W Greatrex | 6 |
| 4th | 2¾ | Grand Sancy (FR) 14/1 | Lorcan Williams (5) 11-1 |
P F Nicholls | 4 |
| 5th | 1½ | Mr Antolini (IRE) 12/1 | Jamie Bargary 11-6 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 8 |
| 6th | 1¼ | Lord Napier (IRE) 28/1 | Sean Bowen 10-9 |
P Bowen | 5 |
| 7th | 2 | Tornado Watch (IRE) 8/1 | D J Mullins 10-12 |
Emmet Mullins | 9 |
| 8th | nk | Flying Tiger (IRE) 16/1 | Chester Williams (7) 10-12 |
Nick Williams | 5 |
| 9th | ¾ | Court Royale (IRE) 33/1 | Adam Wedge 10-4 |
Evan Williams | 5 |
| 10th | 5 | Fidux (FR) 20/1 | Tom Cannon 11-10 |
A King | 5 |
| 11th | 1½ | Fiesole 20/1 | Aidan Coleman 10-12 |
Olly Murphy | 6 |
| 12th | ¾ | Not Never 14/1 | J E Moore 10-7 |
G L Moore | 6 |
| 13th | 1¼ | Jolly's Cracked It (FR) 12/1 | N D Fehily 11-12 |
H Fry | 9 |
| 14th | ¾ | Mont Des Avaloirs (FR) 5/1f | H Cobden 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 5 |
| 15th | ½ | Friday Night Light (FR) 20/1 | David Noonan 10-1 |
D Pipe | 5 |
| 16th | 1¼ | Man Of Plenty 33/1 | Sean Houlihan (5) 10-11 |
Mrs S Leech | 9 |
| 17th | ¾ | Nietzsche 16/1 | Danny McMenamin (7) 10-11 |
B Ellison | 5 |
| 18th | 2 | Forecast 33/1 | Thomas Bellamy 10-6 |
M Keighley | 6 |
| 19th | 13 | Cyrus Darius 16/1 | B J Geraghty 11-11 |
C L Tizzard | 9 |
| 20th | 12 | First Figaro (GER) 25/1 | Charlie Deutsch 10-6 |
Miss V Williams | 8 |
| 21st | 15 | Chatez (IRE) 20/1 | Brendan Powell 10-0 |
A King | 7 |
RACING WELFARE 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
