bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Wetherby 14:40 £40,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 26y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 4th November 2017 | |
1 Colin's Sister 10/1
2
Wholestone 2/1J
3
Lil Rockerfeller 2/1J
7 ran Distances: 2l, 12l, 4l
Time: 6m 15.10s (slow by 27.10s)
Colin's Sister is an impressive winner against the boys
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Fergal O'Brien's Colin's Sister was a prolific winner last season but came up short when upped to Grade One company in Ireland on her final start.
Reappearing in the Grade Two contest, registered as the West Yorkshire Hurdle, she was in receipt of plenty of weight from her rivals but still faced a tough task at the ratings.
However, on the final bend Paddy Brennan was struggling to hold her so well was she travelling and while an untidy leap at the last lessened the winning margin, she still beat Wholestone by two lengths.
Lil Rockerfeller, second in the Stayers' Hurdle last term, filled third, just like 12 months ago.
"It's such a shame her owner/breeder Caroline Beresford-Wylie can't be here but she broke her arm a few day ago," said O'Brien of his 10-1 winner.
"Thankfully she let me plough on with the plan and we were very glad it rained as it helps slow the others down a bit.
"We didn't come to make up the numbers but I thought 10-1 summed up her chance, she had each-way claims.
"We've always thought three miles would be the making of her and she loved the ground and was getting weight.
"We'll have to see what's next, she's had a hard race there, before this we were thinking of going back against mares at either Kempton or Cheltenham.
"We didn't come here for a prep but I honestly thought today would put her spot-on for one of those. This has blown us all away."
Neil King said of Lil Rockerfeller: "He's run his race. He's a lazy, stuffy horse and that will sharpen him up a bit.
"He travelled and jumped well and I thought he might pull away at one stage but he's blown up.
"We could go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle but we went to Ascot for the Coral Hurdle last year and might do again."
Bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle
£40,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 26y, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Colin's Sister 10/1 | P J Brennan 10-10 |
F O'Brien | 6 | |
| 2nd | 2 | Wholestone (IRE) 2/1j | D A Jacob 11-3 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 6 |
| 3rd | 12 | Lil Rockerfeller (USA) 2/1j | T E Whelan 11-0 |
N B King | 6 |
| 4th | 4 | Ptit Zig (FR) 4/1 | Harry Cobden 11-0 |
P F Nicholls | 8 |
| 5th | 11 | Fountains Windfall 14/1 | David Noonan 11-4 |
A J Honeyball | 7 |
| PU | Gayebury 14/1 | Adam Wedge 11-2 |
Evan Williams | 7 | |
| PU | Missed Approach (IRE) 20/1 | R Johnson 11-0 |
W Greatrex | 7 |
