Henderson all smiles at Sandown
Nicky Henderson had more than one reason to celebrate after Sandown beat the elements as he witnessed his pupil assistant Jamie Snowden land the Royal Artillery Gold Cup.
Snowden produce an exemplary ride to take the race, first staged in 1862, aboard the Paul Nicholls-trained Inca Trail.
Then Henderson himself, also completing a double after the earlier win of Tarlac, combined with Snowden to take the Allied Irish Bank GB Hunters’ Chase with First Love in the colours of Her Majesty The Queen.
It was an emotional victory for the 10-year-old, who had been the last winner for the Queen Mother when scoring here almost four years earlier.
The effects of a gruelling race at Perth in 2003 saw the talented son of Bustino totally lose his way.
But rejuvenated by a spell in the hunting field and benefiting from a unique training regime, Henderson’s charge made all to beat favourite Cracking Dawn by a length.
“It’s great to be back. This is special,” he said.
“When he ran against Mr Woodentop at Perth they went head to head for three miles and although he won he was finished by the end and it took two years for the scars of that to disappear.
“He has been away with David Minton hunting and he doesn’t really get trained at all at home, he just gets turned out and does his thing with either Jamie or Charlie Longsdon.
“We decided to take the hunter chase route with him and I am so pleased it has worked.”
Snowden had earlier produced a very different ride when patiently delivering 11-8 chance Inca Trail at just the right time to outspeed favourite Back Nine on the run-in.
By the end of the day Snowden improved his record at Sandown to eight winners from 17 rides – a strike-rate which would make any of his colleagues envious.
Inca Trail is a 66-1 chance with Coral and VC Bet for the John Smith’s Grand National, but first will come the other race restricted to riders with military service, the Grand Military Gold Cup next month.
“It’s very good of Paul to support these races and I rode Whitenzo for him to win this race and the Grand Military last year,” said Snowden, formerly a captain in the Kings Royal Hussars before leaving last August to join Henderson’s operation.
“I had a chat with Charlotte Tizzard and Paul said the same thing to me - that I had to keep taking a pull on him – he said whatever I did I should take as many pulls as I can.
“He was right because every time I took a pull he wanted to go faster but once he gets his head in front he says ’Right, that’s me done’.”
Henderson had already struck earlier on the card when Tarlac took the Durkan Group Handicap Hurdle under Tony McCoy.
Described as an exciting novice chasing prospect for next season, the trainer said he would “tiptoe along rather than look at anything too great” for the ex-German gelding.
McCoy was also completing a double after the first-race victory of talented but fragile performer Manners.
And although the gelding has entries at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, trainer Jonjo O’Neill was keeping his sights low after seeing the 8-11 favourite account for market rival Idris by four lengths in the Devine Iac ’National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.
“It is obviously very testing out there and everybody has got their own views on the best ground but my fellow hasn’t had a lot of experience so I wanted to give him something to race against,” said McCoy.
“I wouldn’t be sure if there was much improvement to come as although he hasn’t been on the track much, he’s not getting any younger.”
Philip Hide, who rode runner-up Idris, was banned for two days (March 7 and 8) for using the whip with excessive frequency, as was Tom Scudamore, who was found guilty of the same offence when finishing second to Tarlac aboard Lunar Crystal.
Jacks Craic battled back close home to edge out Without A Doubt in the two-mile Allied Irish Bank GB Private Banking Handicap Chase.
The runner-up appeared to hold an advantage when touching down a length clear over the final fence.
But inch by inch Graham Lee managed to reel in the leader and put the 7-4 favourite’s head in front close home for a narrow verdict.
Jacks Craic could head next for Cheltenham’s Grand Annual Chase, for which Coral offer 33-1.
It was a good day for punters with no winner returning at a longer price than Danse Macabre’s 100-30 odds in the closing Foundation Developments Ltd Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle.
