Weekend Review

A review of all the key weekend action including Baron Alco's big-race triumph at Cheltenham for the Moore family.

Racing is littered with successful family dynasties but few can be as unheralded - and as successful - as the Moores.

What with the O'Briens and the Mullins in Ireland and the Easterbys and the Scudamores in England, the game is quite literally in their blood.

But from humble beginnings in East Sussex, trainer Gary Moore has sired three classy jockeys, one of whom is widely regarded as the best in the world on the Flat and the other two who compete to ride his horses over jumps.

Moore looked to have two good chances in Saturday's BetVictor Gold Cup - with Benatar, set to be ridden by Jamie, and Baron Alco for Josh.

However, a late setback ruled Benatar out, elder brother Jamie claimed his seniority - and the rest is history.

A classy novice chaser when second at the Cheltenham Festival two seasons ago, Baron Alco missed the whole of the last campaign through injury and had been narrowly beaten on his return at Chepstow by Charbel.

He made nearly all the running, along with eventual second and top weight Frodon, keeping out of the carnage in behind him which saw only six finish.

"The horse is all heart. To be quite honest, I was going to take him out, as I thought the ground was quick enough. Thank goodness the owners talked me into running him," said the trainer.

"They (horse and winning rider) are made for each other. I couldn't be more pleased. He picked up a suspensory injury here in 2016, but the form stacked up and it was a brilliant run that day."

Delighted owner John Stone said: "I've owned horses for 30 years and this is a real highlight.

"It really is fantastic. I kept thinking something was going to happen, because horse races aren't won like this, are they?"

Philip Hobbs continued his good recent run of form when Rock The Kasbah won the staying handicap chase, looking a Grand National prospect, but the story of the race was the great comeback run of 2015 Gold Cup winner Coneygree back in third.

Sara Bradstock, assistant to husband Mark, said: "I'm nearly in tears. To have him back is wonderful. He did what he does best, and the ground was plenty fast enough.

"He could possibly go for the King George. We will see how comes out of this. He has not made it through December before without going lame."

Next month is on the agenda for Samcro, pulled out at the last minute of Punchestown's Unibet Morgiana Hurdle because of trainer Gordon Elliott's concerns about the quick ground.

It was Ireland which staged the only Grade One race of a blue-chip weekend - but without both Samcro and Jessica Harrington's Supasundae, for the same reason, Sunday's feature lacked the depth it had once promised.

There was another twist in the tale in store too, as Sharjah easily dismissed former Champion Hurdle winner, odds-on favourite and stablemate Faugheen.

Willie Mullins said of his winner: "He's done a lot for the season, and I don't know if I'm going to go on with him now or not.

"I may give him a little break and come back in the spring - but after doing that today, it looks like we'll have to go to Christmas (Leopardstown) with him."

As for Faugheen, he added: "I would have expected him to find a bit more, but he didn't.

"The decision is made to stay hurdling, and I think we'll just go out in trip as we had intended."

Samcro's revised schedule, meanwhile, may well take him to Newcastle next for a prospective meeting with dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D'Air in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

There are no such lofty intentions yet for Nietzsche, surprise 20-1 winner of Cheltenham's Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on Sunday.

But after Lalor was a convincing winner of the Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial Novices' Chase on his debut over fences - a poignant outcome for trainer Kayley Woollacott, who took on the job after husband Richard died in January - hopes can be high of returning for the main event in March.