Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase
Grade 1, Kempton Park 14:07
£80,000 guaranteed ,
5yo plus,
2m 4f 110yds, Class 1  
Saturday 13th January 2024

Free Racing Tips

1 Banbridge 3/1
2 Pic D'Orhy 5/2J
3 Janidil 12/1
5 ran Distances: 1¾l, 17l, 6l
Time: 4m 59.72s (slow by 0.72s)

Banbridge made history by becoming the first Irish-trained winner of the Grade Two Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton. Joseph O’Brien's eight-year-old, in his first race after 275 days, outperformed defending champion Pic D’Orhy, securing victory by a length and three-quarters. Under jockey JJ Slevin, Banbridge's superior jumping at the final fence proved decisive.

Pic D’Orhy, the 16-length winner of the same race a year ago, set the early pace, with Banbridge trailing closely. The other three runners followed a few lengths behind in a line. Notlongtillmay briefly advanced on the turn for home, while Edwardstone and Janidil struggled to make an impact.

The battle up the home straight was between Banbridge and Pic D’Orhy. A late mistake by Pic D’Orhy contributed to Banbridge's triumph at odds of 3-1. Ronnie Bartlett, the winning owner, expressed satisfaction with the horse's solid performance, acknowledging Banbridge's few mistakes due to the extended time off the track.

Despite the victory, Bartlett mentioned that there is room for improvement, and Joseph O’Brien, the trainer, echoed the sentiment. Banbridge's odds for the Ryanair Chase were cut from 10-1 to 5-1 by Quinnbet. The decision to target the Ryanair Chase will depend on ground conditions, considering Banbridge's preference for good ground in the spring.

Jockey JJ Slevin praised Banbridge, noting the horse's maturity and improvement from the previous year. Slevin acknowledged Banbridge's rusty performance but expressed delight with the outcome. The tragic postscript to the race involved Notlongtillmay suffering a fatal fall at the last fence. Trainer Laura Morgan tearfully expressed the loss of their stable star, emphasizing the impact it would have on the yard and the unique character of the horse.

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Silviniaco Conti Chase (Grade 2)
£80,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 4f 110y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places

POS. DIST FORM HORSE AGE TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Banbridge 8 11-5 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin 3/1
2 1¾ Pic D'Orhy 9 11-8 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 5/2J
3 17 Janidil 10 11-8 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 12/1
4 6 Edwardstone 10 11-8 Alan King Tom Cannon 5/2J
FELL Notlongtillmay 8 11-2 L J Morgan David Noonan 4/1

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