Ascot: Cap Du Nord proved to be a welcome victory for Christian Williams.
After Cap Du Nord won the Swinley Handicap Chase, Christian Williams returned home victorious, confident that he would have a good chance of success at Ascot.
The Coral Trophy winner from the previous year was forced to postpone a defense of his title next week at Kempton due to the possibility of Frodon appearing, but the move proved wise when he stormed to victory under Jack Tudor.
It was Williams’ first win at Ascot. He had a slow season with only nine winners, but he bounced back to the main stage thanks to his reliable handicapper’s seventh chase win for The Can’t Say No Partnership.
“It’s superb, he’s been an incredible horse,” winning owner Ian Marmion said. “He’s run for us since he was five and he’s still showing up at the age of ten, and that was perhaps the easiest he’s ever won.
“Christian’s had a quiet season and we needed a good Saturday winner for him. We went close at Doncaster in the Sky Bet and we intended to go to Kempton next week for the Coral Trophy, but it looks like Frodon might run and we’d be out of the handicap. Christian said on Tuesday we should go at Ascot and just look how right he was.
“We’re not out of Kempton just yet, we’ll pick up a little penalty and if all is well and good we might just try to rattle them next Saturday as well.”
Claimer Philip Armson, filling in for the retired Tom Scudamore, tried to catch the winner on Neon Moon, but Cap Du Nord won by seven lengths, earning a kiss from Marmion in the winner’s enclosure. Armson had to settle for second place.
“If you could have 100 of him you’d have 100 horses,” he said. “He does every dance for us, he’s just brilliant. We paid £30,000 for him and he’s won us about £300,000 now. He’s the biggest winner in Christian’s yard now, and we’re not finished yet.”
Because they lined up before the starter’s flag was raised, each of the fourteen jockeys received a one-day suspension for misconduct at the start.
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The battle between Energumene and Edwardstone has begun, but only one other rival is expected to participate.
The two star chasers, Energumene and Edwardstone, are both on track to compete in Saturday’s LK Bennett Clarence House Chase (3.35), bringing the much-anticipated Ascot matchup one step closer.
After the confirmation stage on Monday, which eliminated Fugitif, Funambule Sivola, Messire Des Obeaux, Minella Drama, and Sizing Pottsie, Amarillo Sky is the only other potential runner.
Energumene, trained by Willie Mullins, will be looking to get back on track in the big race after losing to Shishkin by a length last season after a memorable fight up the straight.
Energumene will compete against Arkle hero Edwardstone for the first time after winning the Champion Chase at Punchestown and Cheltenham.
“That’s the plan.”
On his first start of the season, Energumene won the Hilly Way Chase at Cork in December with a wide margin. According to his connections, he will take his chance this weekend.
Energumene owner Tony Bloom’s racing manager, Sean Graham, stated: “That’s the plan. Rather than go to Leopardstown at Christmas and then to the Dublin Racing Festival, we thought we’d go back to Ascot.”
“He was so good in the Hilly Way and this route gave him an extra couple of weeks. This plan worked last year for him with Cheltenham in mind as well. Hopefully him being there will put a few people on the gate.”
After winning the Tingle Creek by nine lengths in December, Edwardstone strengthened his position as the best two-mile chaser. However, he fell short when he was last seen in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas.
The chaser trained by Alan King was supposed to run for the first time in November at Ascot, but it was pulled out of the Hurst Park Handicap Chase because the ground was too fast. At the moment, the going at the track is soft, from good to soft in some places.
Although Amarillo Sky is rated 19 pounds lower than Edwardstone and 6 pounds lower than Energumene, he has won both of his starts this season.
It will be just the fourth British Grade 1 race in the past ten years that has only three competitors competing. In 2019, a trio entered this race, which Altior won at odds of 1-10.
The number of runners in this year’s field has decreased by at least one. £9,327 was scheduled for the fourth-place finisher.
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Trainer Philip Hobbs says that the impressive Thyme Hill, will go to Ascot next for his Cheltenham Festival preparation. He is currently the shortest-priced British-trained horse in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
The Grade One-winning hurdler quelled the fears over his jumping last Monday, when winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton by 15 lengths.
Thyme Hill is best-priced 10-1 to land the 3 mile contest which would be a second victory forPhilip Hobbs, after One Knight’s win in 2003. However, it should be a very competitive affair with recent top-level winners Gaillard Du Mesnil and Gerri Colombe at the top of the market at 8-1.
“He’s come out of the race well,” said Hobbs. “I presume we’ll be looking at a race like the Reynoldstown next for him before we think about Cheltenham.”
Hobbs thinks the testing conditions at Kempton suited his runner, who reversed Newbury form with McFabulous, and will now target the race O’Faolains Boy won before going on to land the Brown Advisory in 2014.
Hobbs said: “I think it was a combination of the cheekpieces, soft ground and a strong pace which saw him improve.”
The victory was a third at the top level and second over fences for Thyme Hill. Thyme Hill started chasing at the relatively late age of eight.
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