Whispering Royal on his way to a maiden-breaking victory in the opener (JTW Equine Images)
By JTW Equine Images
Doncaster Racecourse staged the second of it’s “Christmas Racedays” series on Saturday 16th December, and on paper the card for the second day was one jumps fan would have been extremely happy about. Competitive fields, good weather and a feel-good factor around the course, shaped the day up well on Town Moor.
The opening contest at 11:40, the “bet365 Juvenile Maiden Hurdle” was won in tenacious style by Whispering Royal and jockey Tom Cannon, getting the better of the Seven Barrows-trained favourite Kado De Joie. The son of Gustav Klimt was third on hurdle debut at Wincanton to subsequent Aintree scorer Liari of the Ditcheat stable and the second from Wincanton, Inside Man, was subsequently an 8-length winner at Taunton on his next start, so the form was well and truly there to be franked. In a race where there was no immediate pacesetter when the tapes went up, Tom Cannon decided to send the eventual winner on to make the running, and 4 out there was very little change in the order. The favourite and eventual-runner up was settled in mid-division, and despite the ground being officially good-to-soft, Havanazam was quick to crack and faded tamely 4-out.
From then on there were only 3 real contenders for the win turning for home, with Whispering Royal and Kado De Joie heading Running The Game, for owners Old Gold Racing and trainer Gary Moore, with jockey Caoilin Quinn taking 3lb off. After the third last it became clear the latter was not going to head the two market principles, and despite the favourite looming menacingly at the turn of the straight, it quickly became clear that Whispering Royal was not going to be easy to pass. Indeed, after 2 out, the gap was still 2 lengths, and another good jump at the last ensured that if he was going to be passed, it would be on the run-in. This never materialised, and Alan King’s charge came home a tenacious winner, with Kado De Joie a gallant-second for Seven Barrows and James Bowen.
The second race, the “6 Horse Challenge at bet365 Handicap Steeple Chase”, was won by the top-weight Onemorefortheroad and Jack Quinlan, winning for the trainer Neil King and owner Rupert Dubai Racing. If anything, this was almost a carbon copy, at least the opening half of the race, to the hurdle race before. Again, the leader set out, again they built up a load heading out towards Rose Hill, and again the ground found out those who could not handle the conditions. The son of Yorgunnabelucky was cantering all the way around Town Moor, and despite Tommy Cullen and Gitche Gumee attempting to mount a challenge in the home straight, the bird had already flown. An untidy jump at the last threatened to curtail any victory in a last-fence drama, but the leader was not for catching, and came home 4 1/2 lengths clear at 9/2.
In the third race of the day, the “Each Way Extra at bet365 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle”, Phillapa Sue and jockey Kielan Woods came from last to first to claim the prize for trainer duo David Killahena & Graeme McPherson and owners Adams, Graham & McPherson. In the beginnings of the race, the jockeys had clearly learnt from the previous races, and did not let the leaders get too far in front, however with a circuit to go the field was quite openly stretched out. Turning for home, the winner looked to be for all extents and purposes Minniemum and Tom Cannon, as Phillapa Sue needed to gain many lengths on the leader with 3 flights to go. Nevertheless, they were closing with every stride, and halved the distance at the second-last flight, before closing the gap at the final flight and careering away to score under a power-packed ride to score handsomely. Minniemum was second and Pure Theatre was third.
The fourth race of the day, the “Bet Boost at bet365 Handicap Hurdle Race” went the way of Serious Operator and Patrick Wadge, claiming 3lb, for trainer Lucinda Russell and owner The Operators. 3-5 over hurdles last season, the son of Malinas bounced back from a seventh at Cheltenham on his reappearance and no show in tough conditions at Wetherby last time out to score by a couple of lengths from 2019 Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills in second and the grey Glinger Flame in third. Romeo Brown headed the field with the Owners Group duo of Pentland Hills and Barrichello together in third and fourth. Favourite Anyharminasking was settled in the rear of the field with Aquila Sky, having his first run for over 2 years (770 days in total) the backmarker. Breaking Waves was not fluent at the second and third when disputing the lead, and the eventual winner flattened the fifth hurdle, going out down the back.
The stacked field then began the long left turn at the sixth, and 4 out they were still stacked. Turning in, a breakaway group of about 6 horses began to pull away, and the eye was drawn to many in with a challenge. Serious Operator and Pentland Hills were 1 and 2 over the third last and Anyharminasking was moved smoothly into contention, however favourite backers had delight turn into confusion, as when jockey Richie McLernon asked the favourite for his effort, the words of commentator Mark Johnson said it all; “absolutely nothing”, when referring to the favourite finding something. The duo up front pulled clear, and although both were awkward at the final flight, Serious Operator was always doing enough, and beat the hardy Pentland Hills by 1 ¾ lengths, with the gallant grey Glinger Flame passing the disappointing Anyharminasking for third.
Glory and Honour and Jonathan England were gutsy winners of the fifth race of the day, the bet365 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase for trainer Sam England and battenburg enthusiast owners Ursa Ellerby & Partner. In the colours of the popular checked-sponge and marzipan treat, the duo were game winners in a typically-competitive Doncaster handicap chase. For the majority of the race, it was business as usual, as Cerendipity and Nick Scholfield took the stacked field along a tour of Town Moor. Along the back, he bunny-hopped the fence, allowing the field to catch up, after getting a good lead. At the sixth-last, Mister Who made a shocking blunder, almost catapulting jockey Tom Cannon out of the saddle, and at the fifth-last, it was another bad blunder which caused the pair to fall. At the third-last Glory and Honour took it up, and despite jumping to his right at a number of fences, him and Jonathan England held off the challenges of Cruz Control and long-time leader Cerendipity to score by 1 ¾ lengths and odds of 14-1.
The penultimate race on the card, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle, was reduced to just 4 flights of hurdles to be jumped prior to the race beginning, due to low sun affecting the vision of the horses and riders in the home straight. That proved to be no obstacle in itself for Geromino, who under young 10lb claimer Charlie Maggs, as he proved to be the most willing of partners, when the pair won for Cholmondely-based maestro Donald McCain and owner Mr G. E. Fitzpatrick. As the hurdles had been reduced in number, Geromino was sent on, and as the field jumped their first of the quartet of hurdles, handicap debutant Rare Edition made a mistake. First Impression got in tight at the second, and the leader gave the third plenty of air. As the field jumped the last, it meant there was a mammoth seven furlong run in, and after the field turned into the home straight, it became clear the race was only going to really involve Geromino, First Impression and Rare Edition. In fact, due to their guts and determination, that was the finishing order, as Geromino held off both rivals, who closed on him late on, to win at odds of 14-1 by ½ length.
The finale of the day, the bet365 Handicap Steeple Chase, went the way of Forward Plan and Ben Godfrey, claiming 3lb, for trainer Anthony Honeyball and owner The Steeple Chasers. The son of Valirann won at odds of 6-1 by 1 ½ lengths from Mister Coffey, who remains frustratingly a maiden over fences, with Twoshotsoftequila in third. As like in the previous race, the number of obstacles was significantly reduced owing to the low sun, meaning only 10 fences were required to be jumped in the 3 mile contest. Normally, there would be double that, and Slipway rushed up to take the early lead, eventually getting the better of 5 horses rushing for the lead. The leader made a mistake at the third and as the field turned past Rose Hill for the final time that day, Nestor Park began to crack. To his credit he plugged on, meaning that at what was usually the fifth-last, the field was stacked at the final fence. Mister Coffey was travelling lovely in the home straight, but Whistleinthedark and Forward Plan were menacing. The latter took the race by the scruff of the neck two furlongs out, and although Mister Coffey to his credit rallied gamely, he could not reel in the winner.
That wraps up racing on Town Moor prior to Christmas 2023, and with only 1 week of racing left before the Christmas festivities, I am sure to think that there will no doubt be some Christmas crackers still to come before the big day.
