Arcalis storms home
Arcalis made an impressive seasonal reappearance to win the Grade One Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.
Having his first run since taking the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, the 9-4 favourite led at the second-last flight and bounded clear of the opposition in the hands of Tony Dobbin.
The five-year-old powered home despite the rain-softened ground to win by five lengths from Royal Shakespeare, with The French Furze a short-head away third.
He was completing a big across-the-card double for trainer Howard Johnson and owner Graham Wylie, who were successful with Inglis Drever in the Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.
Dobbin told Channel 4 Racing: ``We were worried about the ground for this fellow, but he's shown - like at Cheltenham last season - he's got a very quick turn of speed.
“He’s a very high-class horse and travelled really well, quickened up and pricked his ears over the last. He’s very good.
“The ground was a concern but the trainer felt that if he is going to win a Champion Hurdle he’s going to have to win a race like this on heavy ground.”
Asked about his Champion Hurdle claims, the rider added: “Hardy Eustace is there to be beaten. He’s a very good champion but this fellow will be standing on their heels.”
Arcalis is 8-1 from 14-1 for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle with William Hill, and 6-1 from 12s with VC Bet.
Royal Shakespeare's trainer Steve Gollings said: ``We agonised over whether to run him or not after they had 14 millimetres of rain.
“That’s why we went wide to get the better ground and if we hadn’t have done that I think he would have been third. He is a different horse on good ground.
“We will be looking at races like the Bula and the Christmas Hurdle for him.”
Nicky Richards, responsible for The French Furze, said: ``He's been second three times, won it once and now he's been third.
“He’s the gamest old horse and you couldn’t say enough about him.
“He’s mixed it with three or four generations of Champion Hurdle horses.”
