Betfair Hurdle: Aucunrisque foils favourite Filey Bay at Newbury as Chris Gordon takes aim at Grand Annual
Aucunrisque (9/1) beat Filey Bay, Teddy Blue and Yorksea to win the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday; Funambule Sivola defends Game Spirit crown; Zanza causes upset in Denman Chase to give trainer Philip Hobbs his 3000th winner
Saturday 11 February 2023 17:06, UK
Aucunrisque foiled an ante-post gamble on Filey Bay in the Betfair Hurdle to give Chris Gordon a red-letter day at Newbury.
Gordon has had his string in red-hot form in recent weeks and had already celebrated a winner earlier on the card when Annual Invictus scored under his son, Freddie.
Gordon fielded two in Europe's richest handicap hurdle, with Highway One O Two also running. But it was Aucunrisque who was always to the head of affairs under Nick Scholfield.
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The winning jockey had spent most of the last year on the sidelines but looked far from rusty on the 9/1 shot.
He did appear a sitting duck, however, as Donagh Meyler loomed up on Filey Bay- but a mistake two out gave the initiative back to Aucunrisque.
The pair pulled 11 lengths clear of Teddy Blue and Yorksea, the Gary Moore pair in third and fourth, but it was Aucunrisque who was a length in front at the line.
Gordon said of the winner, who spent the first half of the season novice chasing: "We'll go for the Grand Annual with him now.
"He is a wonderful, tough, consistent horse. He gives me no issues. Like the other horse (in the race). They are wonderful, easy horses to train. This one is so consistent. It just makes life so much easier when they are straightforward, which he is. Let's have a little crack at the Grand Annual and see how we go."
He went on: "He is owned by the guv'nor (Julian Head, Goodwin Racing), who sponsors half my yard, so it is fantastic, so I will probably take him into the bar and try to sell him another horse. He has fallen for that too many times.
"This race meant a lot to me growing up. It was the old Schweppes Hurdle. I just always remember that Ryan Price thing (trained four of the first five winners). I always thought 'those clever trainers' - and I must hasten to add I've proved the whole philosophy wrong - those shrewd trainers won it and now I have. I thought my other horse would win, so I've proved that completely wrong.
"I went to Josh Gifford's when I was 14 years old on work experience from my school. Because I was such a delinquent at school, they used to send me off on special escapades. So they sent me to Josh's. That Ryan Price/Josh Gifford (was the jockey on all of Price's winners) thing means it is a very important race to me.
"This ranks right up there on memorable days, especially with my son winning the earlier race. It is a special day, a really special day."
Funambule Sivola strikes again in Game Spirit
Funambule Sivola returned to form to record back-to-back success in the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, in which hot favourite Greaneteen finished only third of the four runners.
The Venetia Williams-trained eight-year-old was on the crest of a wave when winning this race 12 months ago and went on to finish a very creditable second to Energumene in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
However, in three previous runs this season he had looked a shadow of his former self and he was sent off 7/1 to return to winning ways.
Prominent throughout, Charlie Deutsch always looked happy whereas Greaneteen did not make life easy for Harry Cobden, racing keen early and making niggly errors.
With Elixir De Nutz running in snatches and Malystic's jumping leaving him with plenty to do, Funambule Sivola ended up running out a three-and-a-half length winner from Elixir De Nutz.
Zanza gives Hobbs a landmark victory with Denman shock
Course specialist Zanza provided Philip Hobbs with his 3,000th winner in the Betfair Denman Chase.
Hobbs went the whole of January without a winner as he edged closer to the landmark figure - and it was apt that a stable stalwart like Zanza would provide him with it.
The nine-year-old has only won seven races under rules, with the last five of them now all being at Newbury.
The 16/1 chance was ridden by Tom O'Brien, who since the retirement of Richard Johnson has been stable jockey for Hobbs and his delight was evident as he raised his arm aloft on crossing the line seven lengths ahead of 9/4 favourite Hitman.
For Hobbs, trainer of the likes of Rooster Booster, Monkerhostin, Flagship Uberalles, Menorah, Captain Chris and Defi De Seuil, it was undoubtedly special to have such a winner in a Grade Two event.
"The 3,000 has been a bit slow coming in the last few weeks, but we got there eventually. It has taken us a long while to do it," said Hobbs.
"It is extraordinary how this horse is so much better here than anywhere else. I've never had a horse to that extent. He'd only ever been beaten once here, which was in the Betfair Hurdle and he was only beaten about three lengths in that. I didn't anticipate that - not on his previous form.
"The obvious race to come for is the handicap in three weeks' time, but I don't know what the handicapper will do after that. Cheltenham is possible, so supplementing I suppose has to be an option."
