Chief in charge for Henderson at Hereford

Simon Milham
January 16, 2023 5:57 pm

Favourite obliges in three-runner affair.

Nicky Henderson is going through a quiet spell with few runners, so it is notable when they do run in testing conditions.

Punters would have taken the hint at Hereford when City Chief lined up in the three-runner Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Limited Handicap Chase – and the Nico de Boinville-ridden six-year-old did not disappoint.

Up in trip after finishing runner-up to Gelino Bello on his seasonal bow at Exeter, the evens favourite went the shortest route, tracking Jet Plane, and took it up between the last two fences before going on to score by five and a half lengths.

De Boinville said: “It was hard work out there. There was no life to the ground. It’s fine. He jumped a lot better the further he went and he stays all day, so it’s good.

“The mistake he made last time knocked the stuffing out of him. But he has come on leaps and bounds for that run and I’m sure he will come on for that again.

“We need to get his confidence really high and his jumping will get good.”

Kerry Lee is always a standing dish at her local track and she gained winners eight and nine for the season courtesy of Greenrock Abbey and Fay Ce Que Voudrais.

The former gained a second course-and-distance success with a 13-length victory in the two-mile Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Greenrock Abbey/Hereford — Greenrock Abbey sparked a double for jockey Richard Patrick and trainer Kerry Lee (Simon Milham/PA)

Lee said: “It was a really bad race. We were lucky to get him in at 12st 1lb, but when you see loose horses falling at the second-last, you know it is an awful race!

“He did very well to stand up at the ditch and the ground was sticky and hard work, but they are running generally quite well in their grade.

“It is a 0-100 novice handicap chase, but that is what my job is, to win races. The point is, he is in the right grade making it look easy, but I’m sure when we go up to a 110 next time, it will be more difficult.”

Jockey Richard Patrick completed his and Lee’s brace with one of the rides of the season. He lost both irons aboard Fay Ce Que Voudrais (16-5) in the Cazoo Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, but still managed to record a two-and-a-half-length success over Crem Fresh.

“She is still learning. She had such a look around and ploughed through the last. Thank goodness I stayed on. I tried to shift my weight the other way. I managed to get the job done, anyway,” said Patrick.

Jaminska/Hereford — Jaminska kept up the good form of trainer Jane Williams and jockey David Noonan (Simon Milham/PA

Jane Williams has her string in fine fettle and Jaminska underlined the potential shown on her hurdling debut when runner-up at Ludlow, by taking the Hereford Motor Group Fillies’ Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle in the hands of David Noonan.

Williams said: “The juveniles have done really well this year. She is just brave. It was hard work and however she felt about it, she’ll go through with it.

“She will just lay down her life for you. She is growing and has grown quite a bit recently, which was worrying, as when they are growing, they are a little bit weaker. Today was the plan.”

Missed Tee/Hereford — Missed Tee dug deep for Harry Skelton (Simon Milham/PA)

Missed Tee and Leading Theatre showed plenty of guts to fight out a thrilling finish in the Cazoo Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The former, who is trained by Dan Skelton, just got back up to score by half a length under former champion jockey Harry Skelton.

The winning rider said: “She was just idling out in front. I’ve always thought she was quite good, but she hasn’t had much racing and has a bit to learn. She stays on well.

“Stepping up in trip helped but she is a little bit fast in the brain – her brain goes a little bit faster than her legs at the moment.”

Harry Cobden was on the mark with Kingcormac, who took the Black Mountain Botanicals Handicap Chase for trainer Joe Tickle, and Lilly Pinchin gained her 21st winner of the season when guiding the Charlie Longsdon-trained Zestful Hope to success in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Handicap Hurdle.