Colonel Harry hits the target in Towton contest

Nick Robson
January 13, 2024 2:19 pm

Favourite prevails at Wetherby for Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan.

Colonel Harry took full advantage of Trelawne’s wayward tendencies to continue a golden season for his jockey Gavin Sheehan in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby.

Sheehan has already won the Coral Gold Cup on Datsalrightgino, representing the same connections, the December Gold Cup on Fugitif and the dramatic King George on Hewick.

Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry had finished second to Le Patron in a Grade One over two miles at Sandown last time out and was racing over two and a half miles on this occasion.

This Grade Two had been previously run over three miles and while only four went to post over the new distance, all had claims.

Kim Bailey’s Trelawne attempted to make all but he continually lost ground by hanging markedly to his right and at one point was seemingly intent on heading to the car park on the home bend.

👏 A deserved Graded success for Colonel Harry who lands the G2 @WilliamHill Towton Novices’ Chase for @jamiesnowden & @GavinSheehan92 pic.twitter.com/lHdtGPVX4B

— Wetherby Racecourse (@WetherbyRaces) January 13, 2024

The fact he only went down by a length and three-quarters to the 5-4 favourite spoke volumes, with the winner having to fend off Trelawne’s renewed challenge on the run to the line.

“He’s done it well but Trelawne probably made it a bit easier for us,” said Sheehan.

“Our lad jumps great, he has the right attitude and he didn’t mind stepping up in trip there.

“It’s been brilliant of late, there’s no hiding that fact – I’ve had some great success and long may it continue.”

Hew Glyn Davies, of owners the GD Partnership, said: “I was delighted with that. Obviously it was a small field and the second horse is very good, we were worried about him.

Gavin Sheehan has already won the Coral Gold Cup for the same connections (Steven Paston/PA)

“He travelled great but Gavin said he was ready for him when he opened out on the back straight and he didn’t really have to get into him.

“I think at Sandown he pecked at the first fence and lost his position, he was behind the ball the whole of the way. He got going late and, frankly, if it had been another few yards he’d have got there.

“The longer trip really helped, we’d been debating it, or Jamie had, for a while.

“I think the Scilly Isles (at Sandown) will be a possibility but Cheltenham is a question mark.

“We’ve had a great year so far with Datsalrightgino winning the Coral Gold Cup too.”

Kim Bailey lamented not fitting the runner-up Trelawne with cheekpieces.

“We tossed and turned as to whether to put cheekpieces on today, we gave him the benefit of the doubt but I wish we had,” he said.

“He did the same in his second novice hurdle at Exeter and he’s always been quirky, but he’s got a serious amount of ability.

“He’s a very talented individual, to go so close having run off the racecourse. He’s a winner without a penalty but he hasn’t picked up the prize money either! It’s a very frustrating situation.”