Bristol De Mai defends Betfair Chase title

Horse Racing
Bristol De Mai out of Grand National

Connections were delighted with Bristol De Mai after he upset the odds to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.

Despite being defending champion, the seven-year-old was third favourite for the race behind Might Bite and Native River, but pulled off a four-length victory under Daryl Jacob.

Native River was second and Thistlecrack third as Might Bite trailed home last of the five starters.

The son of Saddler Maker certainly likes the course, with Saturday’s success his fourth triumph from four runs at Haydock, while it was his first outing since finishing second to Might Bite in April’s Betway Bowl Chase at Aintree.

Jacobs was a happy man after taking the victory and confessed they had always suspected their horse could claim the spoils.

‘Everybody was building this up as a two-horse race, but our camp had different ideas,’ he said.

‘It obviously was a disadvantage it not being soft ground, but at this track there’s something about it he just loves and he feels a lot better.

‘ Meanwhile, trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies confessed that not being favourite was no problem for anyone from the yard.

‘We don’t mind being the underdog,’ he said.

‘We were discussing on the way up here how it reminded us of Imperial Commander taking on Kauto Star and Denman in the Gold Cup.

We were totally the underdog and then you go and stuff them like that.’

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