Lucky Place declared himself a contender for the Stayers Hurdle after winning the Dornan Engineering Lerkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham over the impressive Gowell Road.
Nicky Henderson’s progressive performer took on victory in the Ascot Hurdle and was once again up against Jeremy Scott’s Cheltenham Festival winner Golden Ace, who was sent off from the 5/2 favorite in this New Year’s Day feature .
Lucky Place, ridden by jockey Nico de Boinville, is one of the horses keeping an eye on Gowell Road as Sam Twiston-Davies tries to put his stamina to the forefront by riding on the tenacious and consistent performance of his father Nigel. It was the head.
Meanwhile, Golden Ace and Gary and Josh Moore’s Salver ran stylishly at the rear, sneaking into the fray for the final downhill.
With Salver’s last fall and Golden Ace’s stamina beginning to waver, it was up to Lucky Place to hold back the rising Gowell Road, but Gowell Road refused to lie down and the young Seven -Made Burroughs players answer all calls.
Henderson returned a winning verdict of three-quarters of a length at odds of 3/1, with Henderson looking for further evidence to justify his tilt in the Stayers Hurdle at March’s Cheltenham Festival, next up for Cleave. He suggested that there may be a hurdle. Coral went from 20/1 to 16/1.
Jockey Henderson said: “He’s one of the most likeable young horses you’d want to have. He was going to be a novice chaser and he jumps very well, but I’d rather not find an opportunity to chase him.” I couldn’t do it, and I don’t mind saying that.” Because I should have chased him.
“Fortunately we have some very good novice chasers who are doing it and he has now returned to the Ascot Hurdle and this time the hurdles and I think he is in the team for the Stayers Hurdle. I think he will remain.”
“I could go to Cleave, but I don’t know. Any race over three miles is always going to be a tough fight and will I need him on the way to Stayers? Afterwards, Nico and I had a quick chat.” We decided he should be capable at the Stayers, but we’re pretty confident he’ll stay, so maybe we need to test that before March?
“Today he was being ridden to take the needle out of the race, but today we had to ride him like a stayer. I had to take it off, and he did.” He put his head down and fought well.
“The division is open and I think he has earned his ticket to Stayers. We have nothing else going into this race.”
“I don’t think we need to prove that he will stay, we know that he will stay and that he is on a progressive curve.
“We might say he’s a three-mile horse and he’s progressive and it’s better for him to continue to develop than to throw him another race. The only point of running Cleve is that he’s a progressive horse. It’s about proving we’re going to stay, and why aren’t we asking for that?” Not at the end of January, but in March. ”
