williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase |
 |
| Grade 2, Kempton Park 13:40 £80,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
|
| Saturday 27th December 2014 | |
1 Special Tiara 5/1
2 Balder Succes 11/10F
3 Third Intention 9/1
NR: Claret Cloak (IRE)
5 ran Distances: 2¼l, 19l, 9l
TIME 4m 4.30s (slow by 14.30s)
Special Tiara runs his rivals ragged under a front-running ride from Barry Geraghty
 |
A superb front-running performance from Special Tiara saw the Henry de Bromhead-trained raider take the williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.
Spectacular at many of his fences, Barry Geraghty's partner had all bar Balder Succes beaten from some way out.
The only scare came at the third-last, where the seven-year-old appeared as though he could be tiring with what was a slow jump, but he was soon back moving strongly and in the end was two and a quarter lengths too good for the 11-10 favourite.
The race was won last year by subsequent Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy, with the added drama of Sprinter Sacre being pulled up.
A Grade One winner at Aintree last year in the Maghull Novices' Chase, Special Tiara was given a first-show quote of 16-1 by Betfred for the two-mile championship at Cheltenham in March.
De Bromhead was at Leopardstown, where he said: "Everything went right at Kempton and Barry Geraghty gave Special Tiara an amazing ride. We thought we were in trouble with the ground having turned a bit soft there, but he was super."
williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase
£80,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Soft
| Dist | Horse / Jockey | Weight | Trainer | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Special Tiara 5/1 B J Geraghty |
11-0 | H De Bromhead | 7 | |
| 2nd | 2¼ | Balder Succes (FR) 11/10f W Hutchinson |
11-5 | A King | 6 |
| 3rd | 19 | Third Intention (IRE) 9/1 Nick Scholfield |
11-6 | C L Tizzard | 7 |
| 4th | 9 | Module (FR) 9/1 P J Brennan |
11-10 | T R George | 7 |
| PU | Hinterland (FR) 11/4 N D Fehily |
11-5 | P F Nicholls | 6 | |
| NR | Claret Cloak (IRE) R P Mclernon |
11-0 | Miss E C Lavelle | 7 |
