The Cheltenham Gold Cup did not work out for Ben Jones or Rebecca Curtis but they teamed up to win the maiden hurdle at Chepstow on Sunday with the impressive Boultydoolin.
Owned by the Boultydoolin Partnership, the six-year-old had run with credit at Newbury last month and was an easy winner under Jones, the Carmarthen-born rider who finished eighth on The Jukebox Man in Friday’s Gold Cup.
That was a better effort than Haiti Couleurs managed for Curtis, who trains in Pembrokeshire.
He was pulled up after trying to make the running, but Curtis is hoping he can bounce back in the Grand National at Aintree next month.
“He’s a stamina horse and it was quick ground,” she told Sky Sports Racing. “He was always slightly out of his comfort zone. Maybe I’m wrong because he was really well, but that’s why I don’t think he finished as well; he was always going a shade quicker than he wanted to. I’m really keen to run him in the Grand National, although I’ll have to chat to the owners. It might be a more suitable race for him, but we’ll see how he is over the next few weeks.”
Sunday’s feature at Chepstow was the handicap hurdle for mares, which went to Analiese.
A five-year-old, she had run a fine second at Newbury on her most recent appearance and lined up as the 7-4 favourite.
Charlie Deutsch (photographed) did the steering on the Mel Rowley-trained daughter of Harzand, who raced prominently only to make a mistake two from home. However, it did not cost her as she rallied and kept on well to seal a three-quarter length victory from Siog Geal.
Another winner to take note of was Fern Gully, who prevailed for Emma Lavelle in the mares’ maiden hurdle.
She shaped with encouraged at Uttoxeter in December, but was only a 2-1 chance against the Nicky Henderson-trained Eremenko, who was the 4-6 market leader.
That rival was no match for Fern Gully, who soon took charge of the race and was able to bound clear to score by a commanding 11 lengths.
It was a decent day for favourite backers though as Express Surprise (11-4) and Black Hawk Eagle (11-10) also obliged.
Robert Stephens, who is based close to Chepstow, did not have any runners on the card, but made the most of his trip to Taunton last week, when Knight Templar struck in the hands of Sean Houlihan, while the trainer’s Monmouthshire counterpart Thomas Faulkner was also smiling after Fifty Sent did the business at Southwell on Saturday night.
Our next meeting at Chepstow is Thursday 26th March when the first of seven races is due off at 2.18pm. The next fixture at Ffos Las is Sunday 12th April.
