JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial |
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| Juvenile Hurdle, Cheltenham 12:05 £25,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 2m 179y, Class 2  |
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1 An Bradan Feasa 5/4F
2 Balboa 8/1
3 Eagle Prince 9/1
7 ran NR: Kabral Du Mathan Distances: 3l, 25l, 4¼l
Time: 4m 14.20s (slow by 17.20s)
Trainer Jack Jones may now entertain aspirations of Cheltenham Festival success following the convincing victory of his promising juvenile, An Bradan Feasa.
The three-year-old had previously triumphed in his hurdling debut at Ballinrobe in September under Joseph O’Brien before making a move to Jones' Newmarket stable later in the autumn.
An Bradan Feasa showed early promise for his new connections with a second-place finish to the prominent Triumph Hurdle contender, Burdett Road, at Cheltenham last month. With Tom Bellamy in the saddle, the three-year-old was the 5-4 favorite to secure a win in the two-mile-one-furlong contest.
Kourosh, under Dan Skelton, had previously been a dominant winner at Wetherby and took the lead in the race, establishing a clear advantage down the back straight. Despite this, the market leader closed the gap around the home turn and seemed to be gaining the upper hand when Kourosh unfortunately fell at the final flight.
With Kourosh out of contention, An Bradan Feasa had a clear path up the hill, maintaining a strong gallop to secure victory by three lengths, with Balboa finishing strongly in second place.
“It is unreal,” said Jones. “I’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember. To have a runner here a month ago was the stuff of dreams, and for him to do it like that today, I’m speechless.
“Tom gave him a peach of a ride, he jumped and travelled and he was very push button when Tom wanted to give him an inch. I’m very happy.
“It was his first run for us here in November. It was a serious run considering he had to do most of the donkey work and that horse (Burdett Road) looks a fair animal.
“I’m not sure of the depth of the form today, but he has got his win and for the owners to have a winner here is what they have dreamt of – that is why they got him.”
Betfair cut the winner’s Triumph Hurdle odds to 33-1 from 40-1, but he appears more likely to switch to handicap company at the Festival.
“The Fred Winter (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) is what we discussed two or three weeks ago,” Jones added. “He could be 50-1 in a Triumph Hurdle but, although he will go up again today, he would have a competitive enough weight in the Fred Winter.
“He will have a quiet enough time now and will have one more run before March and see where we end up.”
JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Juvenile Hurdle)
£25,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 2m 179y, Class 2
7 ran
Going: Soft
1 An Bradan Feasa 3 11-4 Jack Jones Tom Bellamy 5/4F
2 3 Balboa 3 11-4 Anthony Charlton Harry Reed 8/1
3 25 Eagle Prince 3 11-4 Brian Ellison Henry Brooke 9/1
4 4¼ Walk The Moon 3 11-0 Tony Carroll Robert Dunne 150/1
5 ½ Rebel Angel 3 10-7 David Pipe Jack Tudor 80/1
FELL Kourosh 3 11-4 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 11/8
PU Maglia Rosa 3 11-0 Sophie Leech Miss Roisin Leech 200/1
NR 1 Kabral Du Mathan 3 11-7 Paul Nicholls NON RUNNER
