BetMGM Elite Hurdle |
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| Grade 2, Wincanton 15:00 £70,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1  |
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1 Rubaud 1/2F
2 Hansard 11/4
3
Glorious Zoff 28/1
4 ran NR: West Balboa Distances: 4¼l, 4¾l, 7l
Time: 3m 41.30s (slow by 18.30s)
Rubaud continues on a steep upward curve as the five-year-old lands the Grade 2 @jenningsbetinfo Elite Hurdle in commanding fashion, powering on under @CobdenHarry to complete a four-timer on the card for trainer @PFNicholls 🥇 pic.twitter.com/4hBCPPCuHV
— Wincanton Racecourse (@wincantonraces) November 11, 2023
In the skilled hands of Harry Cobden, the five-year-old asserted his dominance at the forefront throughout the race. Despite a brief challenge from Gary Moore's Hansard, Rubaud effortlessly brushed it aside, crossing the finish line with a commanding four-and-a-quarter-length lead.
This triumph marked Rubaud's fourth consecutive victory, a testament to his exceptional form since his reappearance at Kempton. With this stellar performance, he now appears poised for a potential showdown with Constitution Hill at Sunbury in the upcoming Christmas Hurdle.
“He is just improving rapidly,” said Nicholls. “He goes a gallop, he jumps and he quickens. He sprinted away from the back of the last there and you wouldn’t know what is in the back of the tank. We like improving horses like that.
“It was a nice race at Kempton Park and he has improved since then. I loved the way he quickened over the back of the second last after he winged that. I could see Harry was sat in front just waiting.
“The plan is to go to the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day then come back here for the Kingwell after Christmas. When they start improving, you don’t know where they will end up and the Christmas Hurdle will give us a marker where we are.
“Someone has got to take Constitution Hill on. We will go there and if we finished second we will be delighted.
“He will be a lovely two-mile chaser next season. We will just pick our races this season with him.”
BetMGM Elite Hurdle (Limited Handicap)
£70,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Good to Soft
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Rubaud 5 11-8 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 1/2F
2 4¼ Hansard 5 11-2 Gary Moore Jamie Moore 11/4
3 4¾ Glorious Zoff 6 11-2 Fergal O'Brien Liam Harrison 28/1
4 7 Sacre Coeur 7 10-9 Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell 11/1
NR 4 West Balboa 7 10-13 Dan Skelton NON RUNNER
