Bear cut for Supreme success
Straw Bear was cut in the ante-post market for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after lowering the colours of Martin Pipe’s Acambo at Leicester on Tuesday.
The 9-2 chance comfortably accounted for his 21 rivals in the Nomad Novices’ Hurdle and is down to 8-1 second favourite with William Hill for Cheltenham glory.
Acambo, who had been as short as 6-1 for the Supreme Novices’, was sent off the 8-15 market leader for this two-mile event.
However, after travelling well on the inner for Timmy Murphy, he was being pushed along when Tony McCoy and the JP McManus-owned winner cruised up two from home.
As Acambo laboured, Straw Bear found another gear and eased away to win by seven lengths with Nikola staying on to snatch second from the favourite.
“He would have to come out and do that again before we started to think about Cheltenham but I can’t pretend I’m not very excited,” said winning trainer Nick Gifford.
“Hopefully, I can keep him sound and we will look for another race on this sort of ground. He has a very rounded action and loves some give.
“It would be nice to give him another run in two or three weeks’ time on a galloping track, perhaps over two and a half miles – he didn’t look like he was stopping there.”
The starting price suggested that not all punters were caught out by the eclipse of Acambo and even the victory of Mort de Rire in the gg.com Novices’ Chase was not a total shock.
Backed in from 33-1 to 20-1 just before the off, the grey gelding looked the part in the paddock and made a winning start for Robert Alner’s stable under conditional Daryl Jacob.
“The owners had Jongleur Collonges with me but he had to be retired because of his breathing and they wanted another grey,” said the trainer.
“I don’t think I have ever managed to find a grey so soon after the order before but my agent in France, Guy Petit, said he thought he had found the right horse and I liked him when I went to have a look last month.
“Guy said that he wanted soft ground and a trip and it looks like he was right.”
James Fanshawe made a flying visit to the track as the jumping debut of classy hurdler Pole Star failed to go to plan in the Groby Beginners’ Chase.
With Fanshawe’s charge falling at the fourth fence, the two-mile race probably took little winning but it still managed to produce a thrilling finish as Calatagan rallied on the run-in to snatch victory from Cossack Dancer.
“He’s won on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences now,” said winning trainer Malcolm Jefferson.
“He takes a bit of knowing as he can be very keen but Tom (Dreaper) gave him a sweet ride.”
Irish Blessing turned in one of his better performances to take the Dove Selling Handicap Hurdle.
While 5-2 chance Biscar Two appreciated the mammoth drop in class from the Challow Hurdle to a claimer as he came from well off the pace to score under Christian Williams.
