Datsalrightgino (16/1) beat Mahler Mission, Monbeg Genius and Eldorado Allen to win Coral Gold Cup at Newbury; Gavin Sheehan delivers Jamie Snowden's runner from last to first; Hansard lands Gerry Feilden Hurdle for Gary Moore
Saturday 2 December 2023 15:52, UK
Datsalrightgino came from last to first under Gavin Sheehan to win the Coral Gold Cup for Jamie Snowden.
Lambourn handler Snowden continues to make his mark, adding one of the most prestigious races on the calendar to his Paddy Power Gold Cup win with Ga Law and the Cheltenham Festival success of You Wear It Well.
Sheehan was not even supposed to be riding Datsalrightgino as he was meant to be heading north to Newcastle to ride his two stablemates in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Rehearsal Chase respectively.
With that meeting abandoned due to snow and frost, Sheehan stayed closer to home and produced a peach of a ride on the 16/1 winner.
Tom Cannon was the man to make way for Sheehan and how he must have felt watching Datsalrightgino cruise into contention was anyone's guess.
When Cloudy Glen dropped back after making most of the running it left the Harry Redknapp-owned Shakem Up'Arry and John McConnell's Mahler Mission at the head of affairs.
Mahler Mission soon took over and he briefly looked set to atone for his late fall at Cheltenham in March with a race at his mercy, but Sheehan nursed his mount into the race, given his stamina doubts, and he certainly was not stopping as he crossed the line three and three-quarter lengths in front.
Monbeg Genius was third with Eldorado Allen fourth.
Snowden said: "These big handicaps are very hard to win and fair play to the whole team.
"He's not short of speed and we've been mainly campaigning over two miles as a novice chaser and he improved 20lb and Gavin said 'I can't wait to go up to three miles'. He was right, that was the first time up at three miles and how right was Gavin.
"It's the Coral Gold Cup, it's a wonderful, wonderful race and one of the biggest chases of the season, so you can't really have high expectations but we knew he was in good order and we knew there might be some exposure in his mark over that trip if it worked.
"It's weird how things work out, but thankfully Gav was on board and he knows the horse so well. Thankfully it all worked well in the end.
"He was second preference up there (at Newcastle). We did talk about it. The plan was always to come here, but you have to keep your options open. The Rehearsal was a possibility but thankfully this was on and it all came right in the end."
Hansard defied a welter burden to win the Bet In Race With Coral Intermediate Handicap Hurdle for Niall Houlihan and Gary Moore.
Saddled with top-weight due to some smart form in novices, he dwarfed many of his rivals in the race registered as the Gerry Feilden.
Beaten less than four lengths in a Grade One at Aintree by Henry de Bromhead's Inthepocket at the Grand National meeting, he had made a satisfactory return to action when second to Rubaud in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
With Jamie Moore sidelined with a serious injury, his father has put plenty of faith in Houlihan and he continues to repay him.
Houlihan saved every inch of ground on the inner but he looked booked for a place at best two out as Bad and Brentford Hope set a target. Arguably Under Control was travelling the best at that stage, but she was almost pulled up on crossing the line having faded tamely.
With Brentford Hope failing to pick up on ground quicker than ideal, Hansard dug deep and the 15/2 shot went on to win by three-quarters of a length.
Inch House continued his rise up the chasing ranks with a game success in the Sir Peter O'Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase.
Jonjo O'Neill's six-year-old arrived on the back of an easy victory at the track last month, and the 6/4 favourite proved he is heading in the right direction over the larger obstacles by keeping on well to see off Lord Baddesley by a length and a quarter.
Manimole (8/11 favourite) may have earnt herself a trip to the Cheltenham Festival in landing the opening Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" For Free Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
A 15-length scorer over course and distance previously, she took the step up to Listed company in her stride, showing real toughness to hold off 50/1 chance Brave Jen.
Dan Skelton's Get A Tonic caused a 28/1 shock in the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle, while there was a winner for Nicky Henderson in the Coral Committed To Safer Gambling Novices' Hurdle as Jingko Blue (7/4 joint-favourite) fought back well to get off the mark over timber.
