Detroit has Champion look
Philip Hobbs will aim Detroit City at the Champion Hurdle rather than the World Hurdle - providing he acquits himself well in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Terry Warner-owned grey was given a 10-1 quote by Betfred for the Smurfit Kappa-sponsored blue riband after landing the totesport Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Champions Day, marking Hobbs' first ever winner at Headquarters.
Speaking at Kempton, where he saddled Harry's Dream to victory in a three-mile handicap chase, Hobbs said: "I wanted to give him a run before the Greatwood Hurdle because, if he is going to win the Champion Hurdle, he has got to win that off his current mark, which is 148.
"He will want further than two miles, but we'll be aiming to run him in the Champion Hurdle and we'll go that route. If he gets beaten at Cheltenham, we'll have to have a rethink."
Hobbs, who has now had four winners on the Flat from six runners this season, was quick to place much of the credit for the Cesarewitch success to equine back specialist Mary Bromily, adding: "She has done a lot of work with Detroit City, building up his muscles in behind and she's done a tremendous job."
Champion jockey Jamie Spencer, who won the Cambridgeshire on Formal Decree two weeks ago and was becoming the first rider to complete the 'Autumn Double' since 1885, brought the 9-2 favourite home to a famous victory in the marathon handicap.
Winner of the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, the four-year-old got the better of Inchnadamph (25-1) by a length, with long-time leader Dr Sharp (100-1) two lengths away in third and Ski Jump (25-1) fourth.
Warner is also very sweet on a Champion Hurdle bid.
"I told Philip a month ago he would bolt up and I am very keen to go for the Champion Hurdle, even though everyone else keeps telling me I should aim him at the Stayers'," he said.
"I bought him to go hurdling with the Champion Hurdle as his goal and he'll get the chance to show us if he is a two-miler in the Greatwood and Bula Hurdles at Cheltenham.
"This was the only race that we thought would suit him (on the Flat to get him ready for the Open meeting at Cheltenham) and we didn't think he would go off favourite - we thought that he would be a 16-1 or 20-1 chance!
"He is a great big horse - 17 hands - and we weren't sure that he would even get in the stalls, but he's done it fine."
Spencer said: "He is a treat to ride. It wasn't as much hard work as it looked, it was just they were going so slow and I was a bit annoyed with myself for getting hemmed in on the rail.
"But once he found a bit of room he picked up and was always going to get there. He is a tough, honest horse and will be a nice horse for Richard Johnson to ride for the rest of the winter."
Runner-up Inchnadamph bettered last year's placing by one and his trainer Tim Fitzgerald said: "Maybe we can come back and win it next year. My horses have been wrong and I thought he was going to be my first winner of the year."
Dr Sharp ran a brave race and James Tate, son of trainer Tom, said: "He ran extremely well considering he was drawn 11. We have one more outing planned for him this year."
Sleeping Indian ended his racing career in a blaze of glory as he landed the Group Two VC Bet Challenge Stakes for John Gosden and Jimmy Fortune.
The 9-2 favourite, runner-up 12 months ago, travelled in a group down the centre of the course and was always in control when Fortune asked his mount to quicken away approaching the distance.
Revelling in the ground, which Gosden said was nearer soft than good to soft, Sleeping Indian held Killybegs by a length, with Satchem coming out the better of Godolphin's two runners, a head away.
The winner will now take up stud duties, and Gosden remarked: "He was very unlucky in the Foret (at Longchamp) where he was horribly boxed in, but we always had this race on his agenda as well.
"He's a seven-furlong to a mile horse, so kicking early was the right thing to do. He's off to stud and I'll miss him. He has a great temperament and a great mind."
Barry Hills reported that Killybegs would remain in training as a four-year-old.
The trainer said: "I'd like to think he'd improve and get a mile or even a bit further. I wouldn't be frightened to run him over a mile and a quarter.
"The winner was always going to be hard to beat."
