Tyson lands knockout blow at Haydock
Tyson earned himself a quote of 25-1 with Stan James for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after flooring his rivals on his British debut at Haydock.
A Grade One winner in his native South Africa, he was last seen taking part in the Dubai Carnival 12 months ago when behind David Junior.
Conditions could hardly have been more different in the Andrew Flintoff Benefit Novices’ Hurdle, but the seven-year-old travelled like a class horse in the testing ground and despite an almighty blunder at the last when tiring, he won by three and a half lengths from 8-11 favourite Polinamix.
Sent off at 7-2, he was keen in the early stages and his jumping was sketchy at best, but with experience that will come with racing he can take high rank among the novice hurdlers for Venetia Williams.
It was an especially sweet success for owner Paul Beck, who shares the seven-year-old with golfers Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood among others, as he also manages England cricketer Flintoff, who was in attendance to present the winning trophy.
“We’ll need to speak to Venetia before we nominate a race at Cheltenham, but he would have to sharpen up his jumping,” said Beck.
“He’s got guts though because he will never have seen ground as bad as that before – I just think Aintree could suit him more.
“Venetia has said from day one that he is a three-and-a-half-mile chaser so in a couple of years I’m hoping I’ll be dreaming of the biggest prize of them all.
“If he can get it all together we have a serious horse on our hands.”
Winning rider Paul O’Neill was certainly impressed.
“They went no gallop early which didn’t help as it was the first time he had run for a year so he was fresh,” he said.
“He’s been hard to train so the plaudits must go to Venetia Williams, he came back a bit jarred up after racing in Dubai.
“We took a gamble with the ground today as we didn’t know if he would handle it and he wasn’t 100% either. He’s bound to improve for that. He’s the best horse I’ve ever ridden.”
King Bee won the Romania Off Plan Handicap Chase for the second successive year under a determined ride from Richard Johnson.
After taking up the running from Your a Gassman five out, he moved on the bridle until after the last when he was running on empty.
However, Johnson was able to galvanise his mount to cling on for a five-length win from Strong Resolve to reward favourite-backers at 15-8 and provide local businessman Trevor Hemmings with yet another winner at his favourite track.
He had dropped back to an identical rating in the handicap as 12 months ago and connections could not hide their delight afterwards.
“That was the plan,” beamed trainer Henry Daly.
“He’s a proper handicap chaser, he loves soft ground, he likes it here at Haydock and we shall continue to look for these types of races.
“This is a classic T Hemmings horse. I hope I can repeat the feat on Saturday in the Racing Post Chase with Billyvoddan.”
Johnson made it a double when the giant Mister Potter (4-7 favourite) won the Red Square Vodka ’Fixed Brush’ Novices’ Hurdle, his second success in the series.
The Richard Lee-trained seven-year-old had to be hard ridden to hold off the attentions of 100-1 shot Sharkeys Dream but prevailed by three and a half lengths.
“We had to run him today because we might run him in the Coral Cup and today was the last chance to get him qualified,” said Lee.
“He needs three runs as he is a novice. The final of this race in April is also another option. I wouldn’t run him on firm, though.”
Auntie Kathleen (20-1) landed her first win under Rules when taking advantage of the final-fence fall of the favourite Corlande in the Howden Joinery Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Given a patient ride by Dougie Costello, who in the process was riding his 25th winner of the season, she had yet to be asked a serious question when the 7-2 market leader suffered a tired looking fall.
“I beat Corlande on Predestine last time so I wanted to delay my challenge as long as possible because he doesn’t always find much off the bridle,” said Costello of the John Quinn-trained winner.
“She idled when she hit the front and as long as the handicapper isn’t too severe she should progress.”
John Mackie’s Speed Venture (17-2) relished the testing conditions in the Betdaq First For Multiples Handicap Hurdle under Phil Kinsella.
The mudlark saw out the trip in no uncertain terms and ran out a cosy four length winner from the staying-on Karathaena.
Cobreces (16-1) was another to repeat a success of last year when he claimed the Asda Tickled Pink Team Walrus Hunters’ Chase, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Le Passing (10-11 favourite) only fourth.
