Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle
 QuinnBet
Grade 2, Haydock Park 13:55
£75,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus, 2m 128y, Class 1  
Saturday 18th January 2025

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1 Dedicated Hero 6/1
2 Cloonainra 17/2
3 Peacenik 16/1
7 ran Distances: ½l, 2¼l, 7l
Time: 3m 57.48s (slow by 19.48s)

In a surprising turn of events, Dedicated Hero clinched victory, outperforming the heavily favored Royal Infantry. 

Trained by Sandy Thomson and ridden by Ryan Mania, Dedicated Hero demonstrated resilience throughout the race. Despite encountering a tight spot on the rails and dropping to fourth position three hurdles from the finish, the six-year-old gelding found an extra gear. After switching to the outside for a clearer run, he surged ahead, overtaking Cloonainra and Peacenik after the final hurdle to secure a half-length victory. 

The pre-race favorite, Royal Infantry, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton, was expected to dominate the field. However, the 1/4 favorite struggled to find his rhythm, showing signs of distress three furlongs from home. By the final hurdle, it was evident that Royal Infantry was not in contention, ultimately finishing fourth. 

Ryan Mania expressed his delight, stating, "We always knew he was a nice horse but today was about finding out just how good... I just hope Ruby Walsh wasn’t watching because I dropped my whip!" Trainer Sandy Thomson hinted at future plans, mentioning the Premier Hurdle at Kelso and possibly Aintree, while remaining non-committal about a Cheltenham appearance.

BetGoodwin

Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle
(Grade 2)
£75,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 144y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Dedicated Hero 6 11-4 Sandy Thomson Ryan Mania 6/1
2 ½ Cloonainra 6 10-11 John C McConnell Ben Harvey 17/2
3 2¼ Peacenik 6 11-4 Katy Price Shane Quinlan 16/1
4 7 Royal Infantry 6 11-7 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton1/3F
5 20 Famous Liss 7 11-4 Stuart Coltherd Sam Coltherd 150/1
6 8 Got A Dream 6 11-4 Nicky Martin Paul O'Brien 50/1
PU Walking On A Dream 6 11-4 Lucinda Russell Derek Fox 28/1

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