Betfair Hurdle
Grade 3 Handicap, Newbury 15:20 (run at Ascot)
£155,000 added,
4yo plus,
1m 7f 152y, Class 1  
Saturday 16th February 2019

1 Al Dancer 5/2F
2 Magic Dancer 20/1
3 Blu Cavalier 100/1
14 ran Distances: 3¾l, 2½l, ½l
Time: 3m 44.60s (slow by 3.60s)

Al Dancer runs out a stylish winner

Originally due to be run at Newbury last week before the outbreak of equine flu, the valuable handicap was swiftly re-scheduled – and a strong field of 14 runners faced the starter.

Having already won at Carlisle, Ffos Las and Cheltenham this season, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Al Dancer was the 5-2 favourite in the hands of the trainer’s son Sam – and travelled powerfully throughout the two-mile contest.

He moved to the front jumping the second flight from the finish and picked up strongly on the run-in to prevail by three and three-quarter lengths from Magic Dancer, with largely unconsidered 100-1 shot Blu Cavalier back in third.

MansionBet cut Al Dancer to 4-1 from 10-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month, which makes him their joint-favourite – along with Fakir D’Oudairies – for the Festival curtain-raiser.

FreeRacingTips

Betfair Hurdle (Handicap) (Grade 3)
£155,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 152y, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places

Pos D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st Al Dancer (FR) 5/2f Sam Twiston-Davies
11-8
N A Twiston-Davies 6
2nd Magic Dancer 20/1 Richard Patrick (3)
10-6
Kerry Lee 7
3rd Blu Cavalier 100/1 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. (5)
11-7
Ali Stronge 9
4th ½ Getaway Trump (IRE) 4/1 H Cobden
11-9
P F Nicholls 6
5th ¾ Ar Mest (FR) (ex5) 10/1 J E Moore
10-7
G L Moore 6
6th 4 Equus Amadeus (IRE) 33/1 Stan Sheppard (3)
11-4
Tom Lacey 6
7th Mont Des Avaloirs (FR) 7/1 Lorcan Williams (5)
11-9
P F Nicholls 6
8th nk Lisp (IRE) 13/2 Wayne Hutchinson
11-12
A King 5
9th Didtheyleaveuoutto (IRE) 9/1 W T Kennedy
11-6
N J Gifford 6
10th William H Bonney 25/1 Tom Cannon
11-0
A King 8
11th 10 Nordic Combined (IRE) 16/1 Bryony Frost
11-0
D Pipe 5
12th hd Distingo (IRE) 50/1 Joshua Moore
11-2
G L Moore 6
13th 2 Zanza (IRE) 14/1 R Johnson
11-2
P J Hobbs 5
14th ¾ Nelson's Touch 66/1 J McGrath
10-6
J W Mullins 6

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The Betfair Hurdle – Roll of Honour

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY AGE/WEIGHT SP RAN

2018 KALASHNIKOV Miss Amy Murphy Jack Quinlan 05-11-05 8/1C 24
2017 BALLYANDY Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 06-11-01 3/1F 16
2016 AGRAPART Nick Williams Lizzie Kelly 05-10-05 16/1 22
2015 VIOLET DANCER Gary Moore Joshua Moore 05-10-09 20/1 23
2014 SPLASH OF GINGE Nigel Twiston-Davies Ryan Hatch 06-10-03 33/1 20
2013 MY TENT OR YOURS Nicky Henderson A P McCoy 06-11-02 5/1F 21
2012 ZARKANDAR Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 05-11-01 11/4F 20
2011 RECESSION PROOF John Quinn Dougie Costello 05-10-08 12/1 15
2010 GET ME OUT OF HERE Jonjo O'Neill A P McCoy 06-10-06 6/1 23
2009 Abandoned - Snow
2008 WINGMAN Gary Moore Jamie Moore 06-10-00 14/1 24
2007 HEATHCOTE Gary Moore Jamie Moore 05-10-06 50/1 20
2006 Abandoned - Frost
2005 ESSEX Michael O'Brien IRE Barry Geraghty 05-11-06 4/1F 25
2004 GEOS Nicky Henderson Marcus Foley 09-10-09 16/1 25
2003 SPIRIT LEADER Jessica Harrington IRE Norman Williamson 07-10-00 14/1 27
2002 COPELAND Martin Pipe A P McCoy 07-11-07 13/2 16
2001 LANDING LIGHT Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-10-02 4/1F 20
2000 GEOS Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 05-11-03 15/2 17
1999 DECOUPAGE Charles Egerton Jimmy McCarthy 07-11-00 6/1 18
1998 SHARPICAL Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-11-01 10/1 14
1997 MAKE A STAND Martin Pipe Chris Maude 06-11-07 6/1 18
1996 SQUIRE SILK Andy Turnell Paul Carberry 07-10-12 13/2 18
1995 MYSILV Charles Egerton Jamie Osborne 05-10-08 9/4F 8
1994 LARGE ACTION Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 06-10-08 9/2 11
1993 KING CREDO Steve Woodman Adrian Maguire 08-10-00 10/1 16
1992 RODEO STAR Nigel Tinkler Graham McCourt 06-10-10 15/2 15
1991 Abandoned - Frost
1990 DEEP SENSATION Josh Gifford Richard Rowe 05-11-03 7/1 17
1989 GREY SALUTE John Jenkins Richard Dunwoody 06-11-05 8/1 10
1988 JAMESMEAD David Elsworth Brendan Powell 07-10-00 11/1 19
1987 NEBLIN Toby Balding Stan Moore 08-10-00 10/1 21
1986 Abandoned – Snow
1985 Abandoned – Snow
1984 RA NOVA Nan Kennedy Paddy Farrell 05-10-06 16/1 26
1983 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1982 DONEGAL PRINCE Paul Kelleway John Francome 06-10-08 13/1 27
1981 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1980 BOOTLACES David Barons Paul Leach 06-10-09 20/1 21
1979 WITHIN THE LAW Peter Easterby Alan Brown 05-11-04 25/1 28
1978 Abandoned – Frost
1977 TRUE LAD Bill Swainson Tommy Stack 07-10-04 14/1 27
1976 IRISH FASHION Michael Cunningham IRE Ron Barry 05-10-04 16/1 29
1975 TAMMUZ Fulke Walwyn Bill Smith 07-10-13 18/1 28
1974 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1973 INDIANAPOLIS John Sutcliffe snr Jeff King 06-10-06 15/2 26
1972 GOOD REVIEW Jim Dreaper IRE Val O'Brien 06-10-09 8/1 26
1971 CALA MESQUIDA John Sutcliffe snr John Cook 07-10-09 33/1 23
1970 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1969 Abandoned - Frost
1968 PERSIAN WAR Colin Davies Jimmy Uttley 05-11-13 9/2F 33
1967 HILL HOUSE Ryan Price Josh Gifford 07-10-10 9/1 28
1966 LE VERMONTOIS Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-11-03 15/2 28
1965 ELAN John Sutcliffe jnr David Nicholson 06-10-07 9/2F 21
1964 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 06-10-02 10/1 24
1963 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-10-00 20/1 41

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