Kauto Star Novices' Chase |
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| Grade 1, Kempton Park 14:00 £70,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1  |
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| Friday 26th December 2014 | |
1 Coneygree 100/30
2 Warden Hill 14/1
3 Virak 9/2
7 ran Distances: 40l, 1½l
TIME 6m 7.70s (slow by 9.70s)
Coneygree turned what looked a fascinating Kauto Star Novices' Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) at Kempton Park into a rout.
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Creepy had already ruined his chance with a shuddering error and not long after that Carraig Mor departed when challenging Coneygree for the lead, and Mark Bradstock's seven-year-old barely missed a beat at the head of affairs.
The 100-30 chance, who had to sit out last season through injury, soon had Sausalito Sunrise struggling when he fell, too.
That left Virak in second, but he was treading water in the straight and was eventually caught for second by Warden Hill, who was initially reluctant to race, but the pair were 40 lengths behind Nico de Boinville on Coneygree, in a race formerly known as the Feltham.
De Boinville said: "I was completely oblivious (to what was happening in behind), which possibly says a lot about me.
"You dream of being on horses like this when you're a young boy. It's fantastic to be associated with him and the whole Bradstock team. The world is his oyster at the moment. I think (Cheltenham) will be right up his street. He jumps and travels, that is his game, and he grinds them down.
" It's not sunk in yet - I never thought I'd ride a Grade One winner in my life."
Bradstock added: "We've put an outdoor school in, since when this horse has done a lot of show-jumping work, and the whole thing has proved of real benefit to him and our other horses.
"It's a real family concern and I'm lucky to have a son and a daughter that have helped a lot, as well of course as an amazing wife! Let's also not forget Chicky (Lady Oaksey), who does such a great job."
Kauto Star Novices' Chase
(In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (Formerly The Feltham Novices' Chase) (Grade 1)
£70,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m, Class 1,
7 ran
Going: Good to Soft
| Dist | Horse / Jockey | Weight | Trainer | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Coneygree 10/3 Nico de Boinville |
11-7 | M Bradstock | 7 | |
| 2nd | 40 | Warden Hill (IRE) 14/1 A P McCoy |
11-7 | M R Channon | 6 |
| 3rd | 1½ | Virak (FR) 9/2 Nick Scholfield |
11-7 | P F Nicholls | 5 |
| PU | Creepy (IRE) 20/1 Conor Shoemark |
11-7 | M Keighley | 6 | |
| F | Saphir Du Rheu (FR) 11/8f S Twiston-Davies |
11-7 | P F Nicholls | 5 | |
| F | Sausalito Sunrise (IRE) 7/1 T J O'Brien |
11-7 | P J Hobbs | 6 | |
| UR | Carraig Mor (IRE) 16/1 N D Fehily |
11-7 | A King | 6 |
