Inch House picks up Sir Peter O’Sullevan prize for O’Neill

‘It’s a lovely race to win. We had some great times together’.

Inch House continued his rise up the chasing ranks with a game success in the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase at Newbury.

Jonjo O’Neill’s six-year-old arrived on the back of an easy victory at the track last month, and the 6-4 favourite proved he is heading in the right direction over the larger obstacles by keeping on well to see off Lord Baddesley by a length and a quarter.

The Jackdaws Castle handler was thrilled to get his hands on the trophy named in honour of the legendary commentator, who was once among O’Neill’s band of owners.

“He likes it and enjoys it, he jumps well and does everything well,” said O’Neill of his winner.

“It’s a lovely race to win. We had some great times together and he had horses with me. We had lots of good fun.

“I remember him helping me out at Wetherby one day, we had new owners in and they had paid a few quid for this horse and he just got beat a short head.

“Sir Peter could see me at the bar and I was struggling a little bit and he came in and by the time he left they thought they had won! So I said ‘thank you very much, Sir Peter, that was very kind of you’ and he said ‘I could see you were struggling’.”

Manimole on her way to winning the Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” For Free Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Steven Paston/PA)

Manimole (8-11 favourite) may have earnt herself a trip to the Cheltenham Festival in landing the opening Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” For Free Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

A 15-length scorer over course and distance previously, she took the step up to Listed company in her stride, showing real toughness to hold off 50-1 chance Brave Jen.

“She’s wonderful and just keeps getting better, better and better,” said her trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies.

“The poor girl will probably have go to the Cheltenham Festival now.

“I think she should have a bit of a break now and there are not a lot of races for her now. We’ll come back just before Cheltenham, hopefully.

“We’ve got to go to the mares’ race. She stays, we know she stays, she’s really tough.”

Dan Skelton’s Get A Tonic caused a 28-1 shock in the Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle, while there was a winner for Nicky Henderson in the Coral Committed To Safer Gambling Novices’ Hurdle as Jingko Blue (7-4 joint-favourite) fought back well to get off the mark over timber.

“He did well to get back there and I think they are smart horses, the future looks good,” said Henderson.

“I have absolutely no idea (where to go next), it’s a bit of a juggling game with the novices at the moment as they are a nice bunch – spreading them out is important.

“I think he is good, but he’s only a young horse so let’s go one step at a time.

“He probably learnt a lot from his run at Warwick when he was beaten and he was very green that day, but he is growing up all the time.”

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