Trainer Michael Scudamore could not hide his delight after bargain buy Northern Beau landed the 2m 4½ f Mares’ Handicap Chase for second time on day two of Cheltenham’s April meeting. The eight-year-old, victorious in the race two years ago and having since won at The International meeting in December 2019, picked up a third course win in facile fashion. After being sent off the 11/4 joint favourite she made all in the hands of Brendan Powell and powered up the hill to score by 14 lengths. A beaming Scudamore said:
“She’s just an unreal little thing really, this was her third win here and she’s just a different horse when she steps out at this place. She was rated about 35 on the Flat and was sold to be a riding pony and then the 13-year-old girl who had her took her cross country and everything else, so they decided to run her in a point-to-point. She won two in that sphere and now she’s won three races here, so it’s unbelievable. They’re not the biggest races of course but to win any race round here is great and the owners have been so good to us – so there’s certainly worse places for her to like!”
Another very impressive winner on the day was Win My Wings (9/2) in the 3m 2f Catesby Estates PLC Mares’ Handicap Chase. The Christian Williams trained eight-year-old mare travelled ominously well throughout in the hands of a confident Nick Schofield and after being produced to challenge at the last shot clear to beat Madera Mist by 10 lengths. Williams revealed that she may now head to France for her next assignment having identified a valuable hurdle race at Compiegne over 2m 2f next month. He said:
“That was lovely. We thought she was a nice horse years ago and she wanted this trip, but she just hasn’t quite been maturing enough until now. There’s a nice race in France on the 17th May – the Prix Pansa at Compiegne – and then she’ll go onto her owners for the summer. It’s onwards and upwards with her next year, maybe she could be a Listed type, we’ll see.”
There was also a deserved success for the consistent Pink Legend (11/2) in the Listed 2m 4f British EBF Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase Final. The seven-year-old, who had finished runner-up in three of her four previous outings, fought of the challenge of Danse Idol after the last to prevail by just over two lengths. Her handler Venetia Williams was thrilled to pick up some black type. She said:
“I’m thrilled for her owner Frank Mahon because he bred her and we’ve just missed on black type twice – she’s been fourth in two Listed races – so it was ideal getting the black type by winning at Cheltenham.”
In the final race on the card, the Spreadex Sports Betting Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, 11/2 shot The Player Queen looked horse to keep onside after a most taking success on debut under rules. The five-year-old, who is trained and owned by husband and wife team Mel and Philip Rowley quickend nicely at the business end of affairs to register a comfortable 3/4 length success. She had previously won her sole start in a point to point last year and Philip Rowley admitted that he was keen to hang on to the mare as he feels she is a nice prospect for the future.
Judged on the manner of her victory, I feel that it’s very hard to disagree as she looks sure to progress and win more races. He said: “She’s a lovely filly. We bought her as a three-year-old and ran her in a point-to-point and after she won that impressively we tried to sell her. We put a nice reserve on her but didn’t get anything, so my wife Mel has her to train and we’ve come here. She’s so tough and is by Yeats so she’s got a lovely pedigree, so I’d like to re-syndicate her and keep her in my wife’s yard. She’s very exciting and I really want to keep hold of her.”
The opening day of the meeting saw Brian Hughes land a crucial win in his ongoing battle with Harry Skelton for the Jumps’ Jockey Title with a well-judged ride aboard 9/1 chance Bannixtown Glory in the Listed Citipost Mares’ Handicap Hurdle. Having sat prominently throughout on the seven-year-old, Hughes made a crucial move when rounding the bend for home and kicked several lengths clear of the field.
Bannixtown Glory then dug deep for pressure and responded gamely to hold off the Skelton-ridden Eglantine Du Seuil by 3/4 of a length. Winning trainer Donald McCain admitted that he took plenty of satisfaction in providing his long-time ally with a crucial success at the Home of Jump racing. He said:
“We’ve nearly accepted it, but he’s been very gracious about the whole thing and the only thing we’re trying to do is our job properly. We’ve got some lovely horses and we’re not running horses for the sake of it, he’s riding really well and we’re just trying to do what we can do.”
Referring to Skelton being given rides by 11-time Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls with less than a fortnight of the season remaining, McCain added: “When they’re reeling in the likes of Paul Nicholls into the situation it becomes David and Goliath, but we’re just trying to train winners. “We’re always the underdog, maybe we’ve been punching above our weight all season but we’ll see what we can do.” Speaking on his bid to retain his Jumps’ Jockey crown, Hughes said: “We’re not going to give up, so we just keep taking it race by race and keep chipping away.”