Golden Ace in imperious form on return to Cheltenham
Jeremy Scott’s Festival heroine stays unbeaten with the minimum of fuss.
Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace continued to impress as she cruised to victory on her return to Cheltenham. The six-year-old is a daughter of Golden Horn and has enjoyed a superb campaign, living up to the promise shown when she was second in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at Aintree the season prior. The winner of two Taunton novice hurdles earlier in the year, the mare then went to the Cheltenham Festival to contest the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle under usual rider Lorcan Williams. While she did not face her Aintree conqueror Dysart Enos, she still crossed paths with some highly-regarded mares in Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead and Willie Mullins’ Jade De Grugy. Neither could outperform Golden Ace, however, and she triumphed by a length and three-quarters on a day to remember for Scott and the team at Holworthy Farm. She was then aimed at the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, but that plan was scuppered when she suffered a bruised foot and was therefore withdrawn. The Listed Changing Young Lives At Jamie’s Farm Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham was the alternative outing and her prior successes saw her line up the 4-9 favourite, on what was a step up to two and half miles. In a field of nine she was an effortless winner, striding up the hill to cross the line eight and a half lengths ahead of Ben Clarke’s Ooh Betty. The form from her Festival win now looks rock solid, with Brighterdaysahead and Jade De Grugy both taking Grade One events since – the same level Golden Ace will be aimed at next year. “She was very good, there were a couple of sketchy jumps but she always had everything covered,” said Scott. “Once the Aintree plan fell through this is what we were thinking of for her. “Lorcan said that if anything she’d probably be happier on slightly softer ground, so we’ve learnt that, but she came up the hill very well. “We’ll aim at the two-and-a-half-mile race (Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle) here next year if we’re lucky enough to be in that position.” Of the subsequent performance of the Elliott and Mullins mares, Scott added: “They’ve looked very, very impressive and it was just so frustrating not being able to go to Aintree, but that’s just horses I’m afraid! “It’s been a very, very good season for her. She’s been great.” There was some minor movement in the trainers’ championship table, as Dan Skelton collected small amounts of placed prize-money across the afternoon. Notnowlinda finished fourth in the Catesby Estates Mares’ Challenger Series Final Handicap Hurdle and Sacre Coeur was runner-up in the NAF Mares’ Handicap Chase, reducing the gap between Skelton and table-leader Mullins by just over GBP 9,000.Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Teahupoo out for Cheltenham-Punchestown Festival double
No horse has completed the feat this century.
-
‘Solid chance’ for Marquand to make Guineas impact this weekend
Rider is looking to Iberian and Porta Fortuna to sparkle in Newmarket Classics.
-
Spillane’s Tower digs deep to complete Grade One double
Jimmy Mangan’s charge was just too strong for Monty’s Star at Punchestown.
-
Banbridge pips Captain Guinness in Champion Chase thriller
Joseph O’Brien’s charge finished strongly to get up in the closing stages.
-
Run Away upholds family honour with game debut win
Andrew Balding’s Yarmouth scorer is a full-sister to star performer Blackbeard.
-
Power-packed finish proves decisive for Mullins star
Mark Walsh swooped late on Mystical Power to surge past Firefox and Slade Steel.
-
Tune proves pitch perfect in Punchestown romp
Tom Lacey’s British raider ran out an emphatic winner of the Full Circle Series Final.
-
Trueshan all set for ‘tough’ Sagaro return
Alan King’s popular eight-year-old makes his seasonal debut at Ascot.
-
Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow ready for Punchestown rematch
Fastorslow has got the better of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner twice before.