JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial |
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| Grade 2, Cheltenham 12:30 £50,000 added, 3yo only, 2m 87y, Class 1  |
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1 Knight Salute 9/2
2 Saint Riquier 50/1
3
Yorksea 33/1
9 ran Distances: 2¾l, nk, nk
Time: 3m 59.46s (slow by 10.46s)
Knight Salute completes a hat-trick over the sticks under @PaddyBrennan81 for Milton Harris at @CheltenhamRaces in the @JCBmachines Triumph Hurdle Trial pic.twitter.com/HTjeu2zF1y https://t.co/GwTWlIgpIg via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) November 14, 2021
Upped in class to Grade Two company, and with Paddy Brennan charting his typically wide route into the straight when the stagger evened itself out, The Milton Harris-trained Knight Salute was in front.
The favourite Magistrato found little up the hill, leaving Saint Riquier to chase home the winner, who was a given a 16-1 quote for the championship event with MansionBet.
Harris returned to the training ranks in 2018, with the British Horseracing Authority having previously rejected his licence applications after he was declared bankrupt in 2011.
“It’s quite emotional really, because it’s been a tough road,” he said.
“He’s a good horse, he’s got a bit of pace and if there’s a better tactical rider in the weighing room than Paddy Brennan then I don’t know him.
“I said to him to be last man and I thought he’d got there too soon.
“We might go to something like the Adonis or we might just leave it to the spring. He looks like he’s all right.
“He was given a mark of 91 after his first two races on the Flat and he struggled, but Andrew Balding was very open with me and said he’s by Sir Percy out of an Unfuwain mare so he’s crying out for a trip.
“I said to Paddy if you get to the back of the last with them you’ll win because you’ll be quicker than the rest, and he was.”
He added: “I think I’ve won this race before in the past. This is my second go and life is like that sometimes. Some people aren’t lucky enough to get a second chance.
“We’ve got some nice horses. I’ve got some brilliant owners, but relative to the game they’ve got no money. This lad isn’t going to win the Gold Cup, but he might win a Triumph Hurdle.”
JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
(Registered As The Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£50,000 added, 3yo only, 2m 87y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
1 Knight Salute 3 10-12 Milton Harris Paddy Brennan 9/2
2 2¾ Saint Riquier 3 10-12 Ian Williams Sam Twiston-Davies 50/1
3 nk Yorksea 3 10-12 Gary Moore Jamie Moore 33/1
4 nk Magistrato 3 10-12 2 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 6/4F
5 ½ Aliomaana 3 10-5 Milton Harris Mitchell Bastyan 12/1
6 ¾ Rocky Man 3 10-12 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 11/1
7 14 Caramelised 3 10-12 Alan King Tom Cannon 6/1
8 5 Mister Allegro 3 10-12 Anthony Honeyball Rex Dingle 12/1
FELL Addosh 3 10-8 Stuart Edmunds Ciaran Gethings 7/1
