Commander Of Fleet Launches Competition
The Glancing Queen looks good at
Cheltenham
Royal is Sceau good at Cheltenham
Elixir is sweet taste of Success
Malone on Road to stardom
Report
After a disappointing Friday with 6 punter
hopes dashed, Commander of Fleet launched the Competition on Saturday.
At Punchestown in the 2m 4f maiden hurdle Commander of Fleet, (Bob,
Cliff, Peej, Tony), went to post, Tracked
leader in 2nd, went clear of remainder approaching 3 out, led after 2 out,
ridden to assert before last where jumped left, wandered slightly run-in,
ridden and kept on well, winning by 6l. He gets 11.1
points.
At Cheltenham in the 2m4f handicap chase, Frodon ( Cod) took
his chance, In
touch, led 3rd to 5th, tracked winner, driven after 3 out, 4 lengths down last,
ridden and kept on flat, always just held, 2nd beaten 2l. He gets 12
points.
At Cheltenham on Sunday in the 2m grade 2 chase, Sceau Royal (Cliff, Steve) went to post, Tracked leaders, went 2nd and poised to challenge after 3 out, upsides next, led narrowly last, soon ridden, all out to assert towards finish, wining by 2 1/4l. He gets 27 points.
In the 2m grade 2 hurdle, Elixir Du Nutz, (Neil), took his chance, Made all, switched wide when hit 2 out (usual 3 out), ridden over 1f out, hard pressed inside final furlong, stayed on well, winning by 1 ¼ l. He gets 40.8 points.
At Punchestown in the 2m bumper, Malone Road ( Cod), took his chance, Led and disputed early until headed after 2f, settled behind leaders in 3rd after 3f, going well in 2nd 3f out and improved to lead going best 2f out, pushed clear over 1f out and soon in command, eased inside final furlong, winning easily 8 ½ l. He gets 23.4 points.
The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
November
Total
Bob
65.1
65.1
Neil
40.8
40.8
Cliff 38.1
38.1
Cod
35.8
35.8
Steve 27
27
Peej
11.1
11.1
Tony
00 00
Martin
00
00
News
Connections of Kemboy are not fazed by
picking up a penalty for the Ladbrokes Trophy after his win at Clonmel.
Last-minute
Unibet Morgiana Hurdle absentee Samcro is likely to run next in Newcastle's Fighting Fifth -
when he may clash with dual champion Buveur D'Air at the start of next month.
Bristol De Mai will seemingly run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock next
Saturday whether the ground is soft or not. Nigel Twiston – Davies told the
punter He said: "He will run in the Betfair. As long as there is decent
ground at Haydock, he will be there. He has been really good at home.
The Betfair
chase looks to be a cracker on Saturday as Bristol
De Mai, Might Bite, Clan Des Obeaux , Native River
and Thistlecrack all stand their ground.
Monet's Garden
Nicky Richards hailed Monet's Garden as "everything
you could want in a racehorse" following the death of the hugely-popular
grey on Tuesday night, aged 20.
The Roselier
gelding won 17 of his 32 starts under rules, including three victories in the
Old Roan Chase at Aintree. He claimed the notable scalp of the great Kauto Star
when securing the first of his Old Roan triumphs in 2007, and the race has been
named in his honour since his retirement seven years ago.
Richards was in no doubt when asked where Monet's Garden
ranked in the horses he has trained.
The Greystoke handler said: "He was very good at
Aintree and beat Kauto Star there one day. He also won a couple of Ascot
Chases, the Ascot Hurdle when it was run at Windsor and he also put that good
French horse Mid Dancer in his place at Carlisle one day. He just had
everything you could want in a racehorse. He could jump and gallop and was as
game as a pebble. He'd have to be the best I've ever trained, for sure."
Tony Dobbin partnered Monet's Garden on each of the
grey's 23 starts before he retired from the saddle in 2008.
He said: "He was an unbelievable horse to ride and
before I retired I was the only one to have ridden him, which was pretty cool.
I won the Ascot Chase on him and we had some great days at Aintree. I remember
the day he beat Kauto Star well. Obviously we were getting a good bit of weight
and it was Kauto Star's first run of the season.
"I set out to make the running and could hear Ruby
(Walsh) coming up behind me turning into the straight and I was thinking 'here
we go again', as I'd finished second to Kauto Star a lot. He couldn't get by
Monet's Garden that day, though.
"He was
definitely up there with the best jumpers I've ridden. He was so fast and slick
and he was like that from day one. I remember watching him school over some
tyres as a three-year-old in Greystoke and he was brilliant even then - he was
exceptional. It's a sad day, but he had a great life and Joey looked after him
brilliantly. I know she'll be gutted, as she absolutely loved him."
