racing_news/

Tartak May Head for Cheltenham after Peterborough Win
15/12/10

1 Tartak 11/4
2 Breedsbreeze 11/2
3 Herecomesthetruth 33/1
7 ran Distances: ½l, 28l, 43l
TIME 5m 2.45s (slow by 10.45s)

There was a sad conclusion to the totesport.com Peterborough Chase won by Tartak, as Paul Nicholls' multiple Grade One winner Twist Magic lost his life in the Newbury Grade Two.

Twist Magic
© racing-images.co.uk

Twist Magic was still in front when he fell at the second-last, and although he managed to gallop past the line, he had sustained irreparable damage. Nicholls' Breedsbreeze made a bold bid for home but he could not stop the finish of Tartak (11-4), who won by half a length.

Nicholls said: "He has fractured a pastern and we've lost him. He's been a great horse and it's always sad when it happens. "

Tartak
© Grossick Racing Photography

Tom George reported Tartak could line up for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival meeting after the win.

Bookmaker William Hill quoted odds of 20/1 for the Cheltenham race after jockey Paddy Brennan rallied Tartak to beat Paul Nicholl’s Breedsbreeze by half a length in the 2m 4f feature race.

Tartak was winning on his second appearance of the season having finished 29 lengths third to Monet’s Garden over 2m 4f at Aintree on his seasonal debut at Aintree in October.

George believes his seven-year-old will stay 3 miles and has his eye on the three mile contest at Aintree in April with a tilt at the 2m 5f Ryanair Chase on day three of the Cheltenham Festival also on the cards.

George said after the race: “This horse deserved a big one. He has been a bit ring-rusty at this time of year before but is sharper now.

"I think he'll get three miles at Aintree and the meeting in April will be his big target, but we will think about the Ryanair at Cheltenham."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Tartak T R George	P J Brennan 11st 0lbs	11 - 4 Winner
2	Breedsbreeze P F Nicholls	D Jacob 11st 0lbs	11 - 2 1/2 length
3	Herecomesthetruth C Gordon	C Bolger 11st 10lbs	33 - 1 28 lengths
4	Ollie Magern N A Twiston-Davies	S Twiston-Davies 11st 4lbs	20 - 1 distance
UnseatedRider	Deep Purple Evan Williams	Paul Moloney 11st 10lbs	4 - 1
Fell	Twist Magic P F Nicholls	S Thomas 11st 10lbs	9 - 4
PulledUp	Master Medic T D Walford	R Walford 11st 6lbs	8 - 1