Honour has National ambition for Mandarin ace Grumpy Charley

Simon Milham
December 31, 2022 3:19 pm

Gruelling conditions no barrier to another Newbury victory.

Grumpy Charley proved stamina is well and truly his forte with a doughty success in the Coral Racing Club Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury.

Trained by Chris Honour, the grey had won on the same card 12 months previously.

Upped in grade after that, he came up short against the likes of Bravemansgame, Corach Rambler and Sam Brown meaning he was running off a mark 2lb lower than last year.

That did not look like being enough, however, as Laskalin and Shanty Alley went clear approaching the second-last.

Bryan Carver was not about to give in, though, and Grumpy Charley began to gain with every stride and hit the front on landing after the last.

Grumpy Charley clings on to win the Coral Racing Club Mandarin Handicap Chase

Another tidy ride from @Bryan_Carver_#ITVRacing | @NewburyRacing pic.twitter.com/Gnz35oZJlF
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 31, 2022

Shanty Alley tried in vain to get back on terms but he went down by three-quarters of a length to the 15-2 winner.

Honour said: “We think of him as a National horse. Over that trip, I don’t think the ground will need to be as important – he just needs to get into a rhythm.

“If they are going too fast for him, if they are going four miles, it is no big deal if you sit and hold your ground for a mile or so.

“He is brilliant. Absolute class. He hurt himself after wining here last year. Whether he really fully recovered from that, I don’t know.

“It wasn’t quite such a good run against Bravemansgame. He didn’t run badly, don’t get me wrong, but he is very good on his day. Watch him up the run-in – he had his ears pricked- there’s plenty left.”

He went on: “He switches off. It is the way they are at home. They are very relaxed. I live on Dartmoor, there’s nothing around me and they don’t need to worry about life. They get to enjoy it. They are real horses and they all know me – I know them better than anybody.

“We have 10 horses in, but I bred quite a few myself and we have babies coming up underneath.

“I’m very fortunate with Geoff Thompson (owner) – he supported me all through my riding career and he has carried on supporting me and it is lovely to repay him.

“It is my biggest win as a trainer, and we are going in the right direction.”

Bryan Carver has been in the wars of late (John Walton/PA)

Carver said: “His jumping throughout the race was so good, on ground like that I just wanted to take the opportunity to fill him up as often as I could.

“He was jumping so well that I could fill him up. He has done everything as I would have wanted. He’s jumped, travelled nicely and he’s relaxed as well, which is important in that sort of ground.

“I wouldn’t say the ground was key. He has run good races on good to soft, but I would say he is probably better on soft. On his day, he is a very nice horse.”