One to go for Fitzgerald
Mick Fitzgerald left Kempton Park on Wednesday on the brink of joining an elite band of jump jockeys.
The Irishman is one winner away from reaching his landmark 1,000th win in Britain after he managed a solitary victory at the Sunbury track.
And trainer Nicky Henderson, who has supplied so many of the rider’s successes, is hoping that he can provide the winner which will make him the ninth member of the gifted group.
It was Henderson who sent out Arctic Sky, the easy winner under Fitzgerald of the Sunley Novices’ Chase over sole rival Lorenzino.
The chasing debutant found the larger obstacles getting easier as the race progressed and looks a decent prospect for the future.
“He is the first novice chaser I have run and frankly, I won’t be running many until the situation with the ground improves,” said Henderson.
“I have only been able to pop him over a jump around the inside school and when he came to the first today I think he wondered what was going on.
“The weather has left us a long way behind and if I wasn’t prepared to do anything with them in the summer, there’s no reason why I should now when the ground is exactly the same.
“I won’t have a runner now until Saturday but I would love to be able to give Mick his 1000th after everything we have done together.”
A little prematurely, Henderson was already preparing his tributes, describing Fitzgerald as “a brilliant jockey and a good friend”.
“He is a great team player and his dedication to us has been absolutely amazing,” he said.
“He has got a great racing brain and really does his homework on our horses. He knows exactly what he is going to do and when you are doing it with someone like him who is such a good friend you really enjoy doing it.”
After racing, Henderson took the opportunity to exercise Fondmort (under Andrew Tinkler) and Saintsaire (Fitzgerald), who are both being lined up for possible outings at Cheltenham in 10 days’ time.
“I’ve got to get a gallop into Fondmort if we are going to get him ready for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Saintsaire might run there too although I haven’t got a particular race in mind,” he said.
“It is on the fast side here but it is still much better than the conditions we would be working them on at home.”
BBC commentator John Motson took a turn outside the commentary box to welcome home the winner of the opening contest.
The man behind the microphone has had shares in a handful of horses and Corroboree, the 7-2 winner of the betfair.com Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, is Motson’s latest venture.
“The best horse I had a leg in was Hannigan’s Lodger, who won quite a few races for us,” he said after seeing Robert Biddlecombe steer the Nigel Twiston Davies-trained winner to a length-and-a-quarter success over Shaman.
“This one won this race last year but injured a leg next time out and he hadn’t run again until today but Nigel has done a good job at getting him ready. I got a bit of 11-2 this morning so I am very pleased.”
Twiston-Davies, who was sending out his seventh winner in the past seven days, experienced the highs and lows of the game when his well-fancied Mach Four came down at the second-last flight in the following Countryside Alliance Novices’ Hurdle.
The race went to Afro Man, who took time to fulfil his potential last season but looks a hurdler to follow after leading two out to beat favourite Castlemore by two and a half lengths.
“I am having a horrible week with my secretary off ill and my car blowing up yesterday so to be honest I was half-expecting this one to pull up lame,” said Charlie Mann.
“But I always thought a bit of him and he will be all right. He is only five and probably won’t go chasing this season. We could stick to ’National Hunt’ races and look at the EBF Final at Sandown.”
Bosham Mill continued his transformation from rascal into reliable performer with a bloodless win in the Countryside Alliance Handicap Hurdle.
The 5-4 favourite always seemed to be enjoying himself out in front under champion jockey Tony McCoy and was eased down on the run-in to beat Venguera by four lengths.
“He has been called a few names in the past but he has always had ability and we took a chance on him,” said Mark Gichero, who is running the successful syndicate GPS Racing.
“He jumps his hurdles great and that is three out of five now over jumps, although we will be keeping him low-key for a while to help restore his confidence.”
Another favourite struck when Even More cantered home in the Tote Exacta Novices’ Handicap Chase, after market rival Stormy Skye had unseated his rider before the contest got into gear.
And on a good day for punters, the 6-4 joint-favourites also dominated proceedings in the concluding betfair.com Handicap Chase, Cold Encounter getting the better of Lord Seamus.
