Dallaglio horse romps home
England’s rugby union stars will be a little bit wealthier thanks to the result of the jobspertemps Handicap Hurdle at Kempton this afternoon.
England star Lawrence Dallaglio, preparing for the showdown against host nation Australia in Saturday’s World Cup final, is part owner of King Georges, winner of the three-mile-one-furlong event.
Seamus Durack brought the John Tuck-trained five-year-old home to win by a comfortable 13 lengths from Novi Sad, landing a punt from 10-1 to 7-1 in the process.
Afterwards former Wasps prop and team-mate of Dallaglio, Martin Brooks, revealed: “I know all the boys have had a big bet on him today. All the team have backed him and it is a great omen for the weekend. They will all have been shouting him home.
“There are six of us in the Try-Line Partnership and Lawrence helped pick the (red and white) colours and the name of the horse. He will be delighted.”
Winning trainer John Tuck admitted: “That’s the first part of my double – I hope they win the World Cup!
“This horse is a natural jumper of fences and we’ll have one more run over hurdles before deciding whether we go jumping sooner rather than later.”
Philip Hobbs appears to have a potential star on his hands in the form of Forever Dream, who landed the two-mile Order of St John/EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle by a comfortable five lengths from Time To Reflect, sparking a double for the stable and jockey Richard Johnson.
The rider eased to the front, having travelled smoothly throughout, and gained an immediate response when he asked the gelding to lengthen.
After welcoming in the five-year-old, the trainer’s wife, Sarah Hobbs, admitted: “I’m delighted. He’s a horse everyone would love to own. Richard (Johnson) said he will make a nice chaser in time. He has strengthened up since last season and though he was a bit green, he did it very well.
“We will keep him at two miles for now and he will get two and a half miles in time.”
Hobbs and Johnson teamed up to record a 6.5-1 double when 11-4 chance Cameron Bridge won the concluding Cadogan Charity Showcase Handicap Chase by four lengths.
Robert Alner’s string is in great heart at present, but Even More could be considered a fortunate winner of the three-mile EBF Novices’ Chase under Andrew Thornton.
Mick Fitzgerald and Arctic Sky were clear and going easily heading to four out, but inexplicably tipped up, leaving Mounsey Castle and Even More (5-1) to fight it out.
Thornton’s mount picked up well off the final bend and Alner admitted: “I think Andrew would have settled for third, four out, but he said he gave him a crack approaching the bend and he really accelerated. For such a big horse, it is surprising that he loves tight bends.
“Let’s be honest, it isn’t classic form. He jumps and stays, but he isn’t a fast horse. You just take the wins when you can, however they come.”
Alner also had news of his Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup hope Sir Rembrandt.
He added: “I would love to see the going softer and if it is good to firm, I won’t run him. It is not worth risking him on anything other than decent jumping ground.”
Marble Arch, runner-up in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle in 2002, was pulled up by Timmy Murphy with what appeared to be a serious injury to his near-hind leg in the two-mile Tote Exacta Novices’ Chase.
Downcast Murphy said: “He has done something behind, maybe cracked something, I don’t know until the vet has had a look at him.”
The race went to the consistent front-runner Duke Of Buckingham, ridden by Tom Doyle and trained by Paul Webber.
The 11-4 shot had 10 lengths to spare over Lirfox, and Fiona Webber, wife of winning trainer Paul, said: “It was a super win. He looked very happy and relaxed at his fences. The key to this horse is he must have top of the ground. He has done us proud.”
Island Stream caused a 10-1 shock in the two-mile St John Ambulance Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, running out a ready three-and-a-half-length winner under 8lb claimer Trevor Bailey.
