BetMGM Elite Hurdle |
 |
|
| Grade 2, Wincanton 14:55 £70,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1  |
||
|
||
1 Rubaud 11/10F
2
Brentford Hope 2/1
3
Aspire Tower 3/1
3 ran NR: Forever William Distances: 1¼l, 17l
Time: 3m 30.90s (slow by 7.90s)
It's back to back wins in the @BetMGMUK Elite Hurdle for Rubaud as Paul Nicholls domination in the race continues@CobdenHarry | @PFNicholls pic.twitter.com/2zQBi0a63u
— Wincanton Racecourse (@wincantonraces) November 9, 2024
Paul Nicholls has penciled in a Christmas date over fences at Kempton Park for the 'class horse' Rubaud, who concluded his hurdling career with a second consecutive victory in the Bet MGM Elite Hurdle.
Fresh off a Listed success at Kempton Park last month, the six-year-old successfully gave weight and a beating to his two rivals, securing the fourth Grade Two win of his career.
Racing prominently throughout the one mile seven furlong test alongside Aspire Tower, the 11/10 favourite took command as the trio turned for home. Brentford Hope posed a serious challenge as Aspire Tower faded, but Rubaud's best leap at the last sealed the deal, earning a length-and-a-quarter victory. This triumph marked Nicholls' fourth winner of the day and Cobden's third.
Nicholls praised Rubaud, stating, “He is a fantastic horse and will now go chasing. He won't beat the likes of Constitution Hill, as we proved last season, but he is a great Grade Two horse and will be a fantastic chaser given his brilliant jumping ability and scope. That is his future now. He beat two good horses rated higher than him and gave them six pounds. He is just a class horse and keeps galloping.”
Nicholls confirmed that the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on December 27th is the next target for Rubaud. “He will go to Kempton Park for the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase over Christmas. That might be his first port of call as I don't want to overdo it. If we find a beginners' chase first we could do that, but it wouldn't worry me if we went straight to Kempton Park. You might dream of an Arkle, but it's not all about Cheltenham as he didn’t like it before. He will be a great Aintree horse and a horse for the future. I can see him running in races like the Tingle Creek as he is a proper horse.”
Harry Derham, trainer of the runner-up Brentford Hope, plans to pitch the seven-year-old into Grade One company before targeting the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle back at the Somerset track. Derham said, “He ran an absolute screamer but wasn’t good enough on the day. He jumped well, settled well, and the race went to plan, but he was second best. He was fit enough to do himself justice, but just not good enough. We won’t look foolish if we run in some conditions races and pick up some prize money. A massive target for this horse is the Kingwell Hurdle, where the ground should be deeper. I’ll probably enter him in the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle as he won't look out of place in those races.”
BetMGM Elite Hurdle (Limited Handicap)
£70,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 65y, Class 1
3 ran
Going: Good
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Rubaud 6 11-8 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 11/10F
2 1¼ Brentford Hope 7 11-2 Harry Derham Paul O'Brien 2/1
3 17 Aspire Tower 8 11-2 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 3/1
NR 4 Forever William 6 11-2 Dan Skelton NON RUNNER
