Puffin Billy cements his way to success in the Mitie Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle
The four-year-old bay gelding, Puffin Billy, is clean four-out-of-four after his effortless success in the Grade 2 Mitie Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle on 21st December, 2012 at Ascot race course over two miles. The bag gelding began the 2012 campaign on 3rd November and has been victorious in the following two outings, qualifying for the seasonal hat-trick.
Two out of the four visits to the winner’s enclosure have been possible due to the companionship with jockey, Barry Geraghty.
The pace of the track was set by the Charlie Longsdon trained, Up To Something, however, the favourite entry of the race loomed right at the heels and was just seeking out for a chance to over ride the leader.
Puffin Billy’s stance was well defined right from the beginning, but took a while to get coupled with smooth performance. Settling into the winning role with three other rivals, he made drastic progress just when the final two furlongs were looming in the distance.
He cruised ahead with ease and defeated the pace-setter of the race by five lengths.
The jockey, Barry Geraghty, has also won with the Nicky Henderson trained, Simonsig, in the Betfred Novices’ Chase and was also a victor on Captain Cutter in the King’s Palace in the Ascot Championship Bumper.
Sherwood said: "I wanted to get another run into him, and it was either here or Kempton on Boxing Day. I don't want him to have too many races on heavy ground. I think he'll go on anything, and he will probably have one more run at the end of January or the beginning of February.
"He'll have entries in both the two-mile (Supreme) and two-and-a-half (Neptune) at Cheltenham and it will depend on the ground." Coral offer 10-1 for both races.”
The Oliver Sherwood trained cracked open the season with a success in the United House Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race on 3rd November, 2012 at Ascot over two miles. The most popular entry landed the race with the same team and set Lord Protector into the second slot.
The four-year-old, Puffin Billy, then went all out in the Inkerman London “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle on 30th November, 2012 at Newbury race course over two miles and half a furlong.
Lydstep Point settled second after the loss of five lengths.
The connections have already selected the future options for the four on four.
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