Aegean Dawn lives up to his billing at Ascot
The main question on most people’s lips today was whether Aegean Dawn could reproduce his form from Cheltenham last week.
And the so called banker of the season so far duly lived up to that tag by landing the spoils in the Canaccord Genuity Handicap Hurdle, but he was made to work a little harder than expected as Alan King’s Mille Chief ran a cracker in second to push the “special”, in the eyes of jockey David Bass, winner all the way to line. A big season surely awaits now for Henderson’s five-year-old, who will now go up 21lbs in the weights.
In what looked to be a very strong Redstone "National Hunt" Novices´ Hurdle at Ascot, trainers elect Paul Nicholls, Phillip Hobbs and Nicky Henderson were all upstaged by Nigel Twiston Davies, who, in fairness, probably knows how to train a winner or two as well. Frascasti Park got the Grange Hill Farm stable off to a perfect start to the weekend as Paddy Brennan dictated the race from the front to great effect – he will be looking for the same outcome aboard Imperial Commander in tomorrow’s Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
The eventual winner, who had the best hurdles form in the book with a 14 length defeat to Escort’men last season, was ushered up to dictate the pace in the openings stages by Brennan and had a six length lead established passing the first mile pole. The well backed favourite Sprinter Sacre, trained by Henderson took a firm grip in the early stages and never really looked comfortable, or willing, despite Barry Geraghty’s confidence. It looked as though the Geraghty confidence would pay off as Sprinter Sacre came upsides Frascasti Park three furlongs out, travelling like stag, whilst Brennan was hard at work. But the unbeaten bumper horse found little under pressure and the Twiston Davies’ runner’s fitness prevailed as he kept finding more the nearer the line got and managed to score by one and a quarter lengths.
“He’s as tough as old boots,” said Brennan, who was celebrating his 50th win of the season.
“He loves it here at Ascot and had real solid form.”
Earlier in the day at Musselbrough, young jockey Matt Crawley had a winning ride which he will probably never forget aboard Lastroseofsummer. Crawley lost his irons at the eighth fence after the horse jinked right on landing resulting in the saddle slipping down the back, leaving the young jock seemingly helpless aboard the well backed runner. But, incredibly, the 7lb claimer was not only able to stay on board but actually ride the four-year-old filly to victory. He did come back to earth with a bump as he fell off the winner after the finish line but he returned to the winners’ enclosure to a rapturous applause in appreciation of his miracle ride.
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