The highest jockey flew from Dublin to London Heathrow so he might experience at Sandown Park, after day one of many Dublin Racing Pageant was deserted. However his race ended early on the Willie Mullins-trained Kitzbuhel
It was a day to neglect for Paul Townend who dashed to Sandown Park to experience Kitzbuhel, just for the favorite to make an early exit.
The highest jockey had caught a final minute flight from Eire to London Heathrow after day one of many Dublin Racing Pageant was deserted.
He flew over with weighing room colleague Jack Kennedy, who was anticipated to be his foremost challenger on Kala Conti within the Grade One Virgin Wager Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park, which is 20 miles from the airport.
However the Irish raiders had been foiled by the Fergal O’Brien-saddled and Andrew Megson-owned Sixmilebridge, who made the entire working for Kielan Woods.
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The 6-1 probability’s job was made simpler when Kitzbuhel, the 10-11 favorite, began to leap to his proper and received in a tangle on the sixth fence, giving Townend no probability of staying on.
« He simply checked, » stated Racing TV pundit James Millman. « He saved leaping barely right-handed previous to that impediment, he wasn’t fairly fluent.
« At Kempton (the place he received the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase) he has all the time received a rail on his right-hand facet which has helped preserve him straighter. At this time he has clipped the highest and sadly dislodged Paul Townend, who will want he hadn’t actually taken that flight to London Heathrow. »
Townend and his gray mount, skilled by Willie Mullins, had been up on their ft after the incident.
On the end, Sixmilebridge saved up the gallop for Woods so as to add to victories at Ayr and Cheltenham – and stay unbeaten for the season by 5 lengths.
Proprietor Megson stated: “That was unbelievable. It was a incredible experience and Fergal has performed an incredible job to get Sixmilebridge to this degree. All of us thought he was good, however to have him win our first Grade One we simply can’t imagine it.
“We’re staying native as we drove down from Leeds this morning. We had been going to stand up early and drive again early, however perhaps not a lot now! »
Sixmilebridge is 20-1 (from 25-1) for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on the Cheltenham Pageant in March.
O’Brien stated: ”All credit score to Max Kendrick who rides this horse on a regular basis. He’s not straightforward.
« I believe at the moment was phenomenal. It was pretty to observe as I felt he was going so nicely. I might see his ears had been pricked and I might see Kielan was very assured. »
