Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp have been in opposing dugouts 44 instances throughout their lengthy careers in soccer administration they usually have been buying and selling blows once more in a unique sporting enviornment on Friday as three of the seven contests have been received by horses of their racing colors.
The naked scoreline on the finish of the day was 2-1 in Ferguson’s favour, due to a short-priced double within the opening two races with Regent’s Stroll and Kalif Du Berlais. It was Redknapp, although, who picked up essentially the most helpful prize of the day, incomes practically £43,000 due to a powerful success by The Jukebox Man within the function occasion, the Grade Two John Francome Novice Chase, and the six-year-old might now step as much as Grade One firm at Kempton on Boxing Day.
All three horses, the truth is, have massive futures to anticipate, together with potential appearances at Cheltenham’s pageant assembly in March the place each Ferguson and Redknapp loved a winner on the identical card earlier this yr.
Neither ex-manager was at Newbury to take pleasure in their success, though Ben Pauling, the coach of The Jukebox Man, reported that Redknapp, who not often misses a runner lately, was “gutted” to be elsewhere.
His newest chasing prospect is doubtlessly a match for something to have carried his colors over fences in a 35-year profession as an proprietor, exhibiting appreciable expertise to take a Grade Two on his chase debut whereas additionally providing loads of scope for enchancment.
“There’s masses to work on,” Pauling mentioned. “He was a bit near the primary few, he was virtually in hurdling mode, after which he grew to become stupidly massive and daring, and Benny [Jones, his jockey] did very effectively to rein him in and pop him down the again. That’s his first run of the season and he’s going to enhance a ton, all mine do, so it could possibly be fairly thrilling from right here on.”
Friday’s race consists of three future winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup – Denman, Bobs Price and Coneygree – on its roll of honour since 2006, whereas the maiden hurdle received by Regent’s Stroll has been landed by two subsequent Grade One-winning chasers – Lostintranslation and Jonbon – since 2017.
Regent’s Stroll is equally blessed with potential, having now received all three of his begins below Guidelines. His victory, through which he overcame a big blunder on the second-last flight, has additionally made a small, preliminary compensation on the £660,000 paid by a syndicate together with Ferguson and his longtime good friend and co-owner Ged Mason to maintain Regent’s Stroll in Paul Nicholls’s yard after his former proprietor, Chris Giles, bought up his racing pursuits in July.
He was quoted at round 14-1 for the Turners Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham on 12 March after this victory, whereas Kalif Du Berlais, who bounced again from a heavy fall at Carlisle this month to get off the mark over fences, is 50-1 for the Arkle Trophy Novice Chase the earlier afternoon.
Greg Wooden’s Saturday ideas
Present
Doncaster 11.42 No Questions Requested 12.17 I’m Ravenous 12.52 Dameofthecotswolds 1.27 Yellow Automotive 2.02 Slugger 2.37 Crimson Nika 3.12 Latopix
Newcastle 11.53 Lavender Hill Mob 12.28 Step Above 1.03 Kepler’s Regulation 1.35 Breakdance Child 2.10 Mystical Energy 2.45 Jeune Prince 3.20 Bowtogreatness (nap)
Newbury 12.07 Listentoyourheart 12.40 Fidelio Vallis 1.15 The New Lion 1.54 Inthewaterside 2.25 Aston Martini 3.00 Broadway Boy (nb) 3.35 Issar d’Ethereal
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“They’ve invested between all of them they usually’ve obtained some lovely horses for the longer term,” Nicholls mentioned after Kalif Du Berlais’s success.
“They’ve a proper group of horses now, and it’s good having 5 – 6 of them collectively. When these horses make this form of cash, we are able to afford to purchase them, and between six of them, it’s not as unhealthy as making an attempt to get one to purchase it. It’s good to have them on board they usually like it.”
Broadway’s identify set to be in lights
The Coral Gold Cup has undoubtedly misplaced a few of its longer-term significance lately however, as a standalone puzzle that calls for to be solved, it’s onerous to fault the newest renewal at Newbury on Saturday and more durable nonetheless to rule out any of the 14 runners with full confidence.
Along with the acquainted mixture of second-season chasers and skilled handicappers, three runners from Eire and an aesthetic contender from France – Basic En Chef, third house within the French equal of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in Might – additionally demand shut consideration.
Even massive outsiders within the betting equivalent to Sam Brown and Remastered have snippets of kind that give them an each-way probability, however the proportion name should still be to facet with a younger second-season chaser with confirmed stamina – the profitable profile in seven of the previous 10 runnings of this race.
Colonel Harry, a possible favorite to offer Jamie Snowden a second successive win, has but to race past two and a half miles over fences, which leaves Senior Chief and Broadway Boy as essentially the most believable youthful candidates, and whereas Senior Chief was a dozen lengths in entrance of Broadway Boy final time, a 10lb turnaround within the weights ought to carry them a lot nearer collectively right this moment.
That is additionally a race and a observe that may favour front-runners, which ideas the stability in the direction of the six-year-old Broadway Boy (3.00) at round 7-1 to offer Nigel Twiston-Davies solely his second win on this historic handicap chase.
Newbury 1.54: The frivolously raced Inthewaterside nonetheless has loads of scope for progress over timber.
Newcastle 2.10: A captivating conflict between two of final season’s finest novices, with slight desire for Mystical Energy because the power of his profitable kind at Punchestown in April has maybe been under-appreciated.
Newbury 2.25: A jink on the closing flight proved expensive for Aston Martini at Bangor final time however he stays on a helpful mark and can provide Nicky Henderson a fourth win on this race in six years.
Newcastle 3.20: All of it appeared to be coming collectively for Bowtogreatness at Newbury final time and, having lastly damaged his duck over fences, a 4lb larger mark right here seems to be very enticing on the stability of his chasing kind.
Newbury 3.35: Issar d’Ethereal was 2lb out of the handicap when ending second at Ascot final time and has clear prospects of going one higher off his appropriate mark right here.
