Impek victory boost for Mate team
Best Mate’s connections received a timely boost before his imminent reappearance as stablemate Impek gained a deserved success in the Bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase at Aintree.
Henrietta Knight’s nine-year-old has proved difficult to win with over the past few seasons but an inspired decision by his trainer and rider Timmy Murphy to allow him to make the running produced a different horse.
Carrying the colours of owner Jim Lewis, Impek was sent off at 4-1 for the Grade Two contest and was quickly dictating proceedings with some bold jumping.
Supreme Prince stuck with him turning for home, but Impek shrugged off that rival and was a decisive two-and-a-half length victor from the running-on 5-2 favourite My Will. Supreme Prince was 11 lengths back in third.
“I’m delighted he’s finally won, as he never really runs a bad race,” said Knight.
“He usually has a lot of weight, but luckily there were horses with more than him today.
“Timmy and I decided to try the new tactics as he loves it out in front at home and likes to bowl along and make the most of his jumping.”
A delighted Lewis added: “We have waited so long with him, but I was having lunch with the handicapper today and he said we had a big chance. It was a great performance from Timmy. You never know, we might have another Edredon Bleu on our hands.”
Impek was rewarded with the added bonus of sitting on top of the leaderboard for the BHB Order Of Merit, having taken the first the scheme’s 63 races.
However, he could be soon challenged by Lewis’ triple Gold Cup winner who returns to the track in next month’s William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
Andy Stewart, owner of My Will, said: “I’m pleased. He was giving weight to Impek and will come on a bundle. We’ll look at the three-mile intermediate chase at Sandown in December.”
Jeremy Cuddle Duck (11-4) looked a name for the future when showing a great deal of application for Carl Llewellyn to overturn the well-regarded Karanja in the Bonusprint EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained winner and leading bumper performer Karanja both travelled well behind a sedate pace before they drew clear in the home straight.
Jeremy Cuddle Duck’s superior jumping won the day and he scored by a head.
Michael Meagher, racing manager to local owner Trevor Hemmings, said: “It was a good performance for a four-year-old to give weight to Karanja and he might be a good novice hurdler.”
Star De Mohaison shone brightly to run out a ready winner of a competitive Bonusprint.com Novices’ Chase.
Ruby Walsh was always handy on the 11-4 chance, disputing the lead with Ardaghey before taking over the running on the back straight.
He was briefly pressed by Supreme Serenade at the second last, but kicked on again to beat his rival by a cosy 13 lengths.
“We’re very happy with that, it was a great jumping performance for a four-year-old,” said trainer Paul Nicholls’ assistant, Dan Skelton.
“In the end it was a pretty good winning margin. French horses are invariably good jumpers and he travels so well and has a great attitude.
“He’s only young so we won’t be too hard on him but he’s a great horse to have on your side.”
It was a good day for the Nicholls yard as they also had a treble at Wincanton.
Jorobaden (3-1) easily defied a 7lb penalty for winning last week with an effortless success in the opening Digital Prints From Bonusprint.com Handicap Hurdle.
Trainer Heather Dalton and rider Patrick Merrigan were continuing where they left off, having claimed the last race on Saturday’s card, and the rider was always oozing confidence aboard the grey, who was held up for much of the way.
Midnight Creek made a break for home down the back straight but Jorobaden, a winner at Market Rasen seven days earlier, cruised past his rival at the second last to record an eased-down three-length success from his rival.
“He’s always been a lovely horse but has really strengthened up since we’ve had him,” said Mrs Dalton.
“It was softer ground and he had a lot of weight, so we were lucky really and he got injured at the meeting here in April, but Patrick knows him well and said the step up to three miles would suit.”
Richard Ford’s Chabrimal Minster took the Doubleprint Handicap Chase with contemptuous ease, although Graham Lee had to sit tight when the lightly-raced eight-year-old made a couple of real blunders, including at the second last.
However, the 6-4 favourite, cantered home a distance clear of Jardin De Beaulieu in a comedy of errors which saw only three finishers.
Debutant Spartacus Bay (14-1) was a decisive six-length winner of the Bonusprint.com Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Having taken a position mid-pack for Liam Treadwell, the Venetia Williams-trained gelding came well clear of the field in the home straight, with fellow newcomer Rothbury running a nice race in second.
