Favourite eases at head of Trophy market
The gelding eased a point to a general 5-1 for the Newbury event, for which Power Elite was cut all round after being selected on a tipping line.
Essex landed a big gamble in last month’s Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown and attracted support for tomorrow’s race earlier in the week, although the defection of the top-weights meant his weight burden rose to 11st 6lb.
A very progressive juvenile last season, Essex was third to Cherub in the Punchestown Champion 4YO Hurdle and was given a confident ride by today’s jockey Barry Geraghty on his handicap debut in the Pierse.
Forging clear three from home, he idled and had to fight on the run-in before beating Mansony by a length.
“He is fine, and travelled over really well on Thursday,” said O’Brien yesterday.
“This race has been the plan for a while, and although he has got a good bit of weight, there is nothing you can do about it.
“He is not the biggest horse in the world - only 16 hands or so. I am a bit concerned about his weight, but I am still quite confident. Barry gets on well with him, and the conditions will be no problem.”
Another affected by the rise in the weights was dual winner Geos, who now carries 11st 10lb, although jockey Tom Phelan has a 5lb allowance.
Nicky Henderson’s gelding took this race in 2000 and last year, but has shown little in four subsequent outings, and his trainer is well aware of the task he faces.
“Geos is in great form, but we really could have done with Rooster Booster not coming out, as he is not a big horse and has a lot of weight,” he told Racing UK.
“He has been nothing but a star all of his life and we planned it for him to defend his title. I would not think any horse has won three, but there is nowhere else for him.”
The master of Seven Barrows also saddles Non So, a decent timber performer on his day who has been running over fences, not disgracing himself when running from well out of the handicap in last month’s Victor Chandler Chase.
Henderson continued: “He fell at Windsor and then fell at Cheltenham, and I think he would have won there, so we ran in the Victor Chandler 18lb out of the handicap. It just seems fair to the horse to come back to have a shot at a decent prize.
“He is actually a very, very good jumper of fences, and his two falls were ridiculously unlucky. I think he will enjoy it, but it is very competitive and everything from the bottom has come into it.”
: 5-1 Essex, 13-2 Tamarinbleu, 7-1 Roman Ark, 9-1 Power Elite, Al Eile, 10-1 Tiger Cry, 14-1 Monte Cinto, 16-1 Non So, 18-1 Howle Hill, 28-1 Dalaram, Escompteur, 33-1 Zibeline, Desert Air, Bongo Fury, 40-1 Bar.
