Unibet Elite Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Wincanton 15:35 £60,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1  |
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1 Sceau Royal 4/5F
2 Teqany 14/1
3 Belfast Banter 6/1
6 ran NR: Goshen Distances: 5½l, 8l, 3¼l
Time: 3m 29.50s (slow by 2.50s)
Sceau Royal trounces his rivals in the @Unibet Elite Hurdle under @Dazjacob10 for @simon_munir and Alan King to win the race for a third time @wincantonraces pic.twitter.com/D83rIA0i7C https://t.co/ONRB5IhF7P via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) November 7, 2021
Alan King’s Sceau Royal scampered clear on the run-in to add this year’s renewal to his previous wins in 2016 and 12 months ago.
The 4-5 favourite crossed the line five and a half lengths to the good from Teqany in the hands of Daryl Jacob, his task having been made easier by the late withdrawal of Goshen – for whom the ground was too quick.
Sole Pretender took the six runners along in the early stages, with Christopher Wood and Teqany close up. Sceau Royal was always travelling well and took closer order before leading at the final flight and winning as he liked.
King said: “He does all the talking. I don’t have to say much – I think he is a superstar. He has won it as a four year-old, eight-year-old and nine-year-old. I said ‘what the hell was I doing in between?’ – but I was novice chasing.
“He is as good as ever, and I’m convinced he is slightly better. His homework is much better than it was two years ago. We know how to train him now, and he is in such a great place.
“Daryl said he couldn’t have gone any quicker early on, but the one thing he does do is get the trip well. I’ve been saying for two years we will go two and a half with him, but I don’t think we will do that.”
Looking at future targets, King added: “We will speak to Anthony Bromley (racing manager to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede), but one thing we won’t do is go right-handed with him over a fence – today he has gone a little bit left, but you can get away with that over hurdles.
“The Fighting Fifth and International at Cheltenham are possible.”
Unibet Elite Hurdle (Limited Handicap)
£60,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Sceau Royal 9 11-6 Alan King Daryl Jacob 4/5F
2 5½ Teqany 7 11-0 Fergal O'Brien Paddy Brennan 14/1
3 8 Belfast Banter 6 11-4 Peter Fahey Kevin Sexton 6/1
4 3¼ Christopher Wood 6 11-0 Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost 16/1
5 1 Sole Pretender 7 11-4 Norman Lee Harry Cobden 3/1
6 10 Hatcher 8 11-0 Dan Skelton Bridget Andrews 66/1
NR 1 Goshen 5 11-6 Gary Moore NON RUNNER
