Culloty backs Mate
Today at Huntingdon Jim Culloty is hoping that he and Best Mate need no prompting as they return to centre stage.
The Peterborough Chase at the flat Fenland circuit marks the Best Mate’s first outing since that heady day at Cheltenham last March. The script predicts a comfortable success for the Gold Cup winner. The critics will pack the compact stands to observe.
Only four oppose Best Mate, among them France's Douze Douze, held in high regard by Guillame Macaire, his trainer, and on a reconnaissance mission ahead of a proposed second meeting with Henrietta Knight’s horse in the King George VI Chase.
Culloty, however, is unconcerned about the numerical weakness, or hidden strength, of the opposition. After all, the man from Killarney is on a roll as far as the Peterborough Chase is concerned, having ridden Edredon Bleu, owned and trained, like Best Mate, by Jim Lewis and Knight, to the first three of his four wins in the race.
“It’s going to be a different ball game now,” Culloty said yesterday. “But Best Mate is an adaptable horse and we'll be discussing tactics in the morning.
“Obviously I hope he goes and wins. I schooled him yesterday morning and he feels very good. We'll find out when he goes to the races if he is bigger and better than last year. I wouldn't like to say before then.”
Tactics were the centre of discussion at Ascot yesterday when Baracouda, owned by JP McManus, extended his winning sequence to double figures following a weird race for the Ascot Hurdle. Only three were ranged against Baracouda, but their riders, Tony McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and Rodi Greene, were determined to upset the favourite's fragile equilibrium at the start by virtually refusing to jump off.
Thierry Doumen’s sang froid was tested to melting point as McCoy then seized the initiative and crept away with Mr Cool, who racing into Swinley Bottom was probably 30 lengths in front. Doumen edged closer from the fourth last but it need the leader to wilt over the final two flights for him to gain the advantage on the run-in.
While the rider appeared unruffled, the owner admitted to being less relaxed. “I’d better not tell you what I was thinking,”McManus said. “I didn't take the 2-5 and halfway through the race I was very pleased I hadn’t.!”
Francois Doumen, Baracouda’s trainer, praised his son's coolness in what he knew would be challenging circumstances.
“Thierry told me it was going to be very tricky at the start and that he would have to take a lot of risks,” he said. “They wanted him to take the lead, that's why everyone stood still. If he had done differently he probably would not have won.
“The horse needs to be relaxed, and never mind what happened, Thierry kept to his discipline."
Baracouda remains 2-1 with Paddy Power for the Stayers Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
His next appearance is back at Ascot on December 20 for the Long Walk Hurdle.
McManus was also successful with the Jonjo O’Neill trained Shamawan in the Allied Irish Bank Chase.
The 5-2 chance travelled supremely well throughout for Liam Cooper and comfortably floored favourite Just Jasmine by five lengths.
‘‘Liam has a very quiet style and he gave this horse an excellent ride,’’ said McManus.
Ad Hoc continued his preparation for next year’s Martell Grand National with an easy success over hurdles in the opener.
The 8-11 favourite was always travelling best under Ruby Walsh and swept home through the driving rain to win the Bingley Novices’ Hurdle by 27 lengths.
Considered by many to have been unlucky when falling in last year’s National just as he looked to be going best of all, Ad Hoc is Victor Chandler’s 14-1 clear favourite for next year’s contest.
