bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Wetherby 14:21 £50,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 26y, Class 1  |
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1 Botox Has 15/2
2 Red Risk 9/1
3
Dashel Drasher 7/4J
6 ran Distances: 1l, 4¾l, hd
Time: 6m 10.87s (slow by 24.87s)
👏 What a race & what a performance from Botox Has
— Wetherby Racecourse (@WetherbyRaces) November 4, 2023
He is a thrilling winner of the G2 @bet365 Hurdle for @gl_racing & gives @quinn_caoilin the biggest win of his career pic.twitter.com/coxFeJH3oj
In what can only be described as a true career highlight, Caoilin Quinn piloted Botox Has to a resounding triumph in the arduous bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby.
This conditional jockey had previously made his mark by securing a valuable handicap hurdle win on the Betfair Chase undercard at Haydock last season aboard Gary Moore's talented seven-year-old. Notably, Botox Has had already demonstrated his prowess by clinching the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell under the guidance of the trainer's son, Josh.
A significant aspect of this victory was the fact that Botox Has had not seen competitive action since finishing fourth in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham back in January. Despite Quinn being unable to utilize his claim in this demanding Grade Two contest, he showcased remarkable skill and mettle.
Leading up to the race, much of the attention centered on two prominent contenders, namely Philip Hobbs' Thyme Hill and Jeremy Scott's stable star Dashel Drasher, both distinguished performers in the world of staying hurdling. Dashel Drasher, known for his front-running style, took the lead as expected, but the testing conditions proved to be quite a challenge from some way out. On the other hand, the other 7-4 joint-favorite, Thyme Hill, struggled to make a significant impact.
Botox Has, despite being under pressure early in the straight, exhibited extraordinary resilience. He rallied and recovered after an imperfect leap at the final hurdle, ultimately prevailing over Red Risk by a mere length. Dashel Drasher managed to edge out Thyme Hill for a hard-fought third place in a race that will be remembered for its sheer intensity and competitive spirit.
Quinn said: “It’s unbelievable, I’m speechless, to be honest, what a performance that was. He was giving weight away to a lot of them, but one thing he has on his side is he’s very tough.
“When push comes to shove, he digs deep. I didn’t think he enjoyed the ground today, we thought he would, as he does like it soft, but for whatever reason he didn’t travel as well as he did when I rode him at Haydock.
“It’s very tiring ground and I just thought it was the best thing to go and let him pop the last, but I knew he had loads left.
“It’s an unbelievable training performance. I’ve said to loads of people, he (Gary Moore) is an absolute genius.
“He’s had his problems this horse, he had a niggling problem which meant he didn’t go to the Cheltenham Festival last season. He (Moore) has got him back as good as ever and I’m very grateful.”
Bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle
£50,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 26y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Soft, Heavy in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Botox Has 7 11-6 Gary Moore Caoilin Quinn 15/2
2 1 Red Risk 8 11-2 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 9/1
3 4¾ Dashel Drasher 10 11-2 Jeremy Scott Rex Dingle 7/4J
4 hd Thyme Hill 9 11-2 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Micheal Nolan 7/4J
5 29 Ambitious Fellow 7 11-6 Peter Fahey Sam Ewing 14/1
6 ¾ Ga Law 7 11-2 Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan 12/1
