Listener thrills Windsor audience
The Listener gave an illustration of the old adage about jumping being the name of the game as he produced some thrilling leaps on his way to victory at Windsor.
The six-year-old might have been a little behind the best over hurdles but could go all the way to the top over fences judged on his performance in the Arena Leisure Plc Novices’ Chase.
Asked to quicken up between the fourth and third-last obstacles by Andrew Thornton, he quickly found a turn of foot that left his rivals struggling.
And continuing to produce the sort of beautiful jumps he had down the back straight, The Listener, sent off the 5-4 favourite, kept on strongly all the way to the line to win by 13 lengths.
With Mount Clerigo coming down at the third-last fence and Turthen fading badly close home, Lord Killeshanra stayed on well to finish second, a further 14 lengths ahead of Stance.
“He is going to stay three miles and even further but it is great to come to races like this and boost his confidence,” said trainer Robert Alner.
“He just loves chasing, he’d jump anything. I suppose the Royal & SunAlliance Chase would have to be tempting but he absolutely must have some cut in the ground – if it came up quick at the Festival he wouldn’t run.
“There’s no real plan though. It’s one race at a time with him.”
Jockey Andrew Thornton recalled The Listener suffering a nasty fall when slipping up at Sandown on his final start over hurdles last season.
“When he started schooling that had knocked his confidence a bit,” said the rider. “But since then he has been getting better and he has really got his act together now.
“For a horse to jump like that on his second start over fences is something special.”
William Hill cut the winner to just 10-1 for the SunAlliance, with Cashmans and Totesport going 12-1.
Jolly Boy completed the notable achievement of five victories in an 18-day period when jumping his rivals ragged to take the Sporting Index Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The Favourites Racing-owned gelding was disappointing last season but Venetia Williams has really found the key to the six-year-old this year.
His hot run has now come to an end with the trainer planning to give Jolly Boy a well-earned holiday.
“I’ve had a few that we hoped might do something like this but it always seems to go down the swanny,” said Williams.
“The blinkers have made all the difference to him and it was only when we put them on that he started doing anything on the racecourse.
“He was a hugely-disappointing horse when he first arrived. When we took him to Uttoxeter (for his chasing debut), it was a real low.”
Pedros Brief (13-2) gave Richard Phillips reason to be cheerful when showing plenty of guts to take the first division of the attheraces.com “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle.
Robert Thornton set out to make all and although strongly challenged by Aztec Warrior and favourite Art Virginia over the second-last flight, Pedros Brief kept finding more for pressure and pulled away again on the run-in to score by three and a half lengths.
Winning trainer Phillips revealed the seven-year-old had been schooled by former champion Richard Dunwoody in one of his weekly visits to the yard.
“He didn’t need it as such, as he’s always been a good jumper, but Richard likes to come down and help out and it’s always appreciated,” said Phillips.
“I am delighted for the owners, who have been very good supporters of mine and this is my first winner for them.
“We will probably stay at two and a half miles with him for now and try and win another event like this under a penalty.”
The second division might have been run in a slower time but connections were just as pleased as Kaldouas – who at 180,000 guineas cost considerably more than his rivals – held the persistent challenge of Boberelle to win by a length and a half.
A pre-season breathing operation appeared to have helped the four-year-old when he made a pleasing reappearance at Cheltenham in a bumper.
And put over hurdles for the first time, the 7-4 favourite did not disappoint, surviving an early mistake and travelling strongly most of the way before finding plenty for pressure close home under Christian Williams.
“This track wouldn’t have been ideal for him but I wanted to get a run into him before Christmas and he has earned a break now,” said Nicholls.
“He’ll probably run a couple of times in the spring and then we will crack on with going chasing because that’s where his future lies. In fact, he was schooled over fences yesterday morning and he was very good.”
Saintsaire justified good support in the betting ring when taking the Mitie Christmas Handicap Chase.
Mick Fitzgerald’s mount, a somewhat disappointing performer to date, almost managed to throw the race away again when walking through the final fence.
But he had done enough already to have the race in safe-keeping and kept on to beat Macmar by nine lengths.
“I thought when he won at Newbury over hurdles he was going to be the next big thing,” said trainer Nicky Henderson.
“I really thought he would be better than this but he hasn’t done it. But that’s not to say there isn’t time for him to prove me right as he is only six.
“He had done everything right until he lost concentration at the last when he was getting ready to have his picture taken.”
Fitzgerald had earlier initiated an 11-1 double when Silkwood Top landed a gamble to take the Executive Hire News Handicap Hurdle.
The stewards held an inquiry into the improved performance of the 5-1 favourite but accepted the explanation of trainer Victor Dartnall that the testing ground had been against him on his previous start.
Acambo maintained his unbeaten record when taking the Q Equine Ltd Handicap Hurdle under Timmy Murphy.
The ex-German gelding, a winner on his debut at Taunton last month, might have been less experienced than all of his rivals, but he still showed a decent amount of toe as he held the rallying Chief Yeoman by two lengths.
It was a second winner within two days for champion trainer Martin Pipe after a barren spell and Acambo is a 16-1 chance with Cashmans for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
