Inthewaterside claims narrow success on hurdling bow

PA Sport Reporters
October 30, 2023 8:00 am

Jagwar makes favourite pull out all the stops at Aintree.

Inthewaterside could be set for a step up in class after emerging victorious in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle at Aintree.

Sent off the 4-7 favourite for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden, Inthewaterside was made to work hard for his prize, with Jagwar pushing him all the way to the line before being beaten just a head.

The Ditcheat handler could now raise his sights with the five-year-old, who also won each of his two bumper starts last term.

Nicholls said: “He was a bit keen and he did well to win pulling as hard as he did. There is plenty of improvement in him.

“That bit of experience will have done him the world of good, but you can see he is ultimately going to be a chaser.

“I’d half had in my mind to have a look at the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park with him. He is not a horse you want to run too much. I would not be averse to dropping back to two miles as he is not short of speed.

“It was probably not a bad race, but he has done well winning it considering he did everything the wrong way round.”

Cobden later completed a double aboard the Joe Tizzard-trained Sunset Marquesa (12-1) in the Jewson Southport, Bispham Road EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Elizabeth Gale steered Celebre D’Allen (3-1 favourite) to a clear-cut victory in the Jewson Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

The 10lb-claimer was enjoying the biggest success of her fledging career less than three years after recovering from breaking two vertebrae in a point-to-point fall.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, Celebre D’Allen made steady progress through the field to grab the lead before the penultimate fence and cost home by 16 lengths – his first win since February 2022.

Gale said: “It was easier than I thought it was going to be that’s for sure. He gave me a beautiful ride around. It was his first run of the season since running in the Topham, so the aim was to just get him jumping really. He is an 11-year-old and he has seen it out beautifully.

“I used to come here as a kid with pony club and I never thought I would be walking down those steps. It is a massive deal for me, especially to ride a winner here.

“I’ve had a long road to get here and anything I get is a bonus. A massive thanks to the governor and Johnson White. I’ve been there four seasons and I missed a good bit through injury, but I can’t complain as they look after me.”

Equinus (5-2 favourite) kicked off a double for Nigel Twiston-Davies in the opening Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, with jockey James Turner guiding him to a five-length win.

Twiston-Davies then teamed up with his son Sam to take the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase with Master Chewy (2-1).

Following his 12-length win, Master Chewy could now head for the Grade Two SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on November 17.

The winning trainer said: “That was just excellent. He has always been superb over them (fences) at home. The future is bright. I think we will have to look at proper novice chase races.

“Very possibly we could go to Cheltenham for the two-mile novices’ chase there, why not.”

Crambo (11-8 favourite) made the most of a drop in class when claiming a cosy two-and-a-quarter-length verdict in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle.

He failed to sparkle in Grade One company at the Grand National meeting back in April, but moved to handicap company by trainer Fergal O’Brien, Crambo was far from extended in the hands of Connor Brace.

Sally Randell, O’Brien’s assistant trainer, said: “That was great. He was unlucky here at the Grand National Festival. He got no kind of run, and he had a bit of bad luck. Back down in a handicap he has done it well.

“I think we will look at some of those nice staying handicaps now with him. Hopefully he might be a bit better than that.”