Time For Rupert shows his mettle at Cheltenham
Cheltenham is a track that can tame the best of them.
Even the mighty Desert Orchid, imperious on right-handed tracks like Sandown and Kempton Park, managed just one victory in eight attempts running left-handed at Cheltenham. However, that victory in the 1989 Gold Cup still shines brightly in the memory.
Time For Rupert is a long way from such honours but the undulations and contours of Prestbury Park are clearly to his liking and he made a winning start over fences in the Steel Plate and Sections Novices' Chase.
Time For Rupert had a win and two seconds (one of which was behind Big Buck’s in last season’s World Hurdle at the Festival) to show for three course starts but that was no guarantee that he would adapt to fences. But he took to his new discipline better than others – Reve de Sivola lost his chance with a mistake at the fourth-last – and would still have won even if Mr Thriller had not fallen at the penultimate fence when disputing the lead.
That left William Kennedy with the luxury of being able to steady Time For Rupert jumping the last as they kept h**l’s Bay at bay to win by eight lengths. “It’s a proper dream,” said winning trainer Paul Webber. “I was half inclined to sneak off to Bangor, but his owners were brave and keen and said ‘no, we’ve made a plan to go to Cheltenham and get our practice in early, we’ll stick with it’. He loves Cheltenham and it’s wonderful to have one that does. He launched himself at the ditch and dragged his hind legs through that – otherwise he and Will were absolutely perfect together and they get on so well.
“I was so lucky to buy him here at the breeze-up sale three years ago, when we had one last bid, otherwise he would have gone to Paul Nicholls. We’re so lucky to have him - he’s a special horse. He only had four runs last year and I’ll guess he’ll have another couple of runs, probably a quiet February and hopefully come here.”
It would be no great surprise to see Aegean Dawn running in this race next season. Even in a field of 24 running in the Arkle Bookshop Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle this imposing horse stood out in the parade ring and he did so even more emphatically in the race itself. David Bass will surely not ride an easier winner on this track.
Aegean Dawn, who had previously been trained by Robert and Sally Alner before they retired, ran only twice last season, winning a bumper and a novice hurdle and got into this handicap on a rating of 114. On the form it looked potentially lenient, in the race it was more like a gift from the gods.
Bass did not rush what was still a very inexperienced horse in the hurly burly of a handicap hurdle and Aegean Dawn showed some deftness when two horses came down in front of him at the fourth-last. On the run downhill Bass brought Aegean Dawn through as Dynaste pulled two-and-a-half lengths clear but Bass was able to reel the leader at his leisure and the only danger was that the jockey might fall out of the saddle looking for non-existent dangers.
Bass did his best to ease the horse on the run-in to keep the winning distance down to a mere three-and-a-half lengths. But that was not fooling anyone and nor was Nicky Henderson. “He’s a great, big potential chaser who we were lucky enough to inherit from the Alners. He’s got a lot of ability and he’s probably a bit better than 114. Let’s just say he’s 120 and trying and convince the handicapper of that.”
There's slightly more chance of convincing him that night is really day because the talent of this horse showed itself even on this gloomy afternoon. “We toyed with the idea of going chasing with him, but I just think she wants another year before he does that. He’ll have learned a lot today but he wants to stay around doing this sort of thing for the time being.”
The horse may have learned something but one suspects that the handicapper ended the day somewhat wiser too.
http://www.senore.com/Cur-Card-remains-unbeaten-a40673http://www.senore.com/Lacdoudal-wins-Glenfarclas-Cross-Country-Chase-a40682
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