Captain Teague on his way to victory in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle (G1) (JTW Equine Images)
By JTW Equine Images
The last few days of the year are meant to be reflected on by the phrase of “out with the old, in with the new”.
This was certainly the case on a miserable, dreary, rain soaked corner of Berkshire, just south of the M4, where the crowd gathered after Christmas and braved the harsh elements, to take in their last meeting of 2023, and see who would be one to follow in 2024.
The result could have been one that was delivered by any of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Whilst Newbury was itself bidding farewell to RacingTV ahead of their switch to Sky Sports Racing in 2024, it was business as usual for trainer Paul Nicholls as he scored a fourth successive Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle, this time courtesy of Captain Teague.
Emulating the likes of Denman, Bravemansgame, Stage Star and last year’s hero Hermes Allen, the 2/1 favourite was always travelling powerfully and stayed on well in the stamina sapping conditions to beat Lookaway by one and a half lengths, adding more Graded success to his locker after his Grade 2 success at Chepstow in October in the Persian War Novices’ Hurdle.
Recent Ffos Las winner The Jukebox Man was back in third, with the fast finishing Johnnywho coming home in fourth, with less than 2 lengths separating the quartet.
Much touted and well fancied Willmount was beaten before the turn for home, jockey James Bowen subsequently pulling him up before 3 out.
On paper the race looked an absolute post-Christmas cracker, and it certainly played out that way. And whilst many bubbles were burst, the winner enhanced his own credentials for the future, staying on determined and unbowed to shelve any thoughts he was not up to scratch after somewhat disappointing at Cheltenham last time out.
Lookaway had taken the field along for most of the journey, and was only collared at the second last by the eventual winner. However, he didn’t have it all his own way, as Lookaway refused to give in and continued to stay on all the way to the line.
The winner however, appeared to idle in front and almost seemed to pull himself up, with jockey Harry Cobden keeping him up to his work to grind out a hard fought victory.
The race is usually seen as a trial for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the Festival, albeit no horse has gone on from the Challow to success at the festival showpiece for 2 and a half mile novice hurdlers. Nevertheless, the winner is now a best priced 16/1 for that race, and 20/1 with Unibet for the longer Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, which is run over 3 miles on the Friday, preceding the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Speaking afterwards to assembled media, the winning trainer was full of praise for his charge, who he stated was “learning all the time”.
“He travelled well”, he regarded. “He jumped brilliantly”.
“I asked Harry that if you are going well, just stride on a bit and put the race to bed”.
“He’s a lovely horse, we’re thrilled”.
“He’s just a laid back horse, and we’ve done a lot on his jumping ( after last time at Cheltenham ), it just comes so easy to him”.
Nicholls normally unleashes from his quiver his top chasing prospects for the next season at this target, and it would appear that this year’s winner is no different to that well-trodden plan.
“You’ll see the best of him when he jumps a fence next season”, savouring and whetting the appetite for the season to come in October 2024. “He will ultimately get 3 miles one day”.
“He’s a proper horse”.
Ultimately the plan of where to go next will need to be discussed with the owners, but it would appear that there are options for Captain Teague in trip, dependant on the ground conditions prevalent.
“I think soft ground is important to him”, Paul detailed. “If it was goodish ground you wouldn’t be worried about going three miles at Cheltenham with him, but if it was testing ground then that sort of trip would be ideal”.
Another reference to his future for the son of Doyen came afterwards, again detailing that this horse is due for a career over the larger obstacles instead of going for a staying hurdle scene.
“If you go where Bravemansgame, Stage Star and Hermes Allen are, then he’s in that sort of mix”, he nodded to Rishi Persad of ITV Racing. All of which are doing excellent over fences, with the former a winner of the King George VI Chase last year, Stage Star has taken out the Paddy Power Gold Cup this season and Hermes Allen was the closest to imperious French raider Il Est Francais in the Kauto Star earlier this week at Kempton Park.
Winning jockey Harry Cobden was very pleased to land his fourth Challow in a row, but admitted he was slightly concerned after the last, as he detailed that his mount had “almost pulled himself up after the last”, reflecting on the slow motion finish that sent a crescendo into the Berkshire air.
“He made hard work of it, but he’s a good horse you know!”
“This testing ground, it’s proper, proper soft ground, but he’s ground that well”.
“He’s a beauty, we’ve loved him from the day we had him”.
“He’s always been very straightforward, and he’ll be a better chaser next year”.
Whilst he is one to keep an eye on for the rest of the season, the potential of seeing the winner, Captain Teague, flying fences next season is one to savour through the summer for fans of National Hunt Racing.
Who knows which race this fellow will be contesting this time next year, or indeed how far up the ladder he can climb?
Whilst the nights may be dark and long, this is one tale to tell by a roaring fireplace. And it seems that the fire burns bright within him, with plenty of roars to receive in the times ahead.
