Cheltenham return on the cards for Knowhere
Knowhere could return to Cheltenham next month for the Paddy Power Gold Cup after grabbing a narrow victory in the feature event on yesterday’s card at Prestbury Park.
Another for the red-hot Nigel Twiston-Davies team, he just pushed past Maljimar in the dying strides of the £50,000 Pyments Quantity Surveyors Handicap Chase.
The 9-2 shot was only beaten a length and a half by Exotic Dancer in last year’s boylesports.com Gold Cup and although he was shuffled wide at the top of the hill at the weekend, Paddy Brennan kept his composure and got Knowhere back in the race to prevail in a crackerjack finish.
“We’ve always known there was a big race in this horse – he ran so well against Exotic Dancer,” said Twiston-Davies.
“I’m sure we’ll bring him back here now for the Paddy Power Gold Cup. Either that or the Hennessy.”
Tony Evans retained the ride on Twiston-Davies’ potentially smart Imperial Commander (10-11 favourite), who kicked off his career over fences with aplomb in the Lady Angela Rooker Memorial Beginners’ Chase.
Evans was collecting his first ever victory at Cheltenham and things were made much easier when Paulo Dancer, who was about a length behind, fell fatally at the last, leaving Imperial Dancer to coast in by 16 lengths from Over The Creek.
“I could not be more pleased,” said the trainer.
“He was good when he went long, good when he went short and even when he split one fence, he didn’t even nod.
“I don’t think it was the strongest race but I hope he’ll be back here for the next meeting now.”
Richard Johnson made the right choice of the Philip Hobbs pair as From Dawn To Dusk led home a one-two for the Minehead trainer in the Severn Trent Water/WaterAid Handicap Hurdle.
Johnson still had to work hard for his two-and-a-half-length success over Leading Contender, hitting the front on the 4-1 shot at the top of the hill, but a great leap at the last sealed victory.
Jeremy Scott is doing well with Gone To Lunch (9-2), who had a little too much for fancied Irish raider Life For Rent in the Lemington Novices’ Hurdle.
Under conditional Liam Heard, he was completing a hat-trick.
There was better luck for the Emerald Isle in the Cheltenham Business Club Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle as Shane Jackson made all on Shane Donohoe’s Mill House Girl (9-1), a length ahead of compatriot Erra Go On.
Joe Tizzard came home a long way clear in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Novices’ Chase aboard his father Colin’s Joe Lively (9-1), having taken over with half a mile to go.
Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh featured in the closing Cheltenham Racing Ltd Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race as Oberon Moon (6-1) eventually overhauled Twiston-Davies’ Razor Royale.
