Tag Archive for: Ciaran Gethings

Heltenham takes Greatwood Gold Cup honours

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A swift return to action proved no barrier to success for Dan Skelton’s Heltenham in the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury.

Turning out just seven days after being beaten half a length into second place at Kempton, the seven-year-old was a 17-2 chance to go one better in the hands of Ciaran Gethings.

Heltenham moved strongly onto the heels of the leaders early in the home straight before being allowed to stride to the front by his confident rider on the approach to the second-last obstacle.

Kandoo Kid, a 9-2 joint-favourite to provide Paul Nicholls with a 10th Greatwood Gold Cup win, briefly threatened to battle back on the run-in, but Skelton’s charge found more once challenged and passed the post with two lengths in hand to notch his second course and distance victory.

“It’s definitely the biggest pot I’ve won, it’s just brilliant to be riding horses like this for a brilliant outfit like the Skeltons,” Gethings told Sky Sports Racing.

“I got instructions from both Harry and Dan and it’s a nice payday. He loved the ground, he was very unlucky last week in Cheltenham and the track would have suited him a lot better today.

“When you’re surrounded by people like the Skeltons and Stuart Edmunds and Kim Bailey you’re going to find a good one at some point, it was nice”

Highland Hunter was a 10-1 winner of the curtain-raising Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Veterans’ Handicap Chase for Fergal O’Brien and Paddy Brennan.

Highland Hunter and Paddy Brennan won the opening race at Newbury
Highland Hunter and Paddy Brennan won the opening race at Newbury (Nigel French/PA)

The 11-year-old grey, part-owned by the winning rider’s wife Lindsey Brennan, took the race by the scruff of the neck a long way out and was good value for the winning margin of just over four lengths.

Highland Hunter was formerly trained by Nicholls and looked after by the late Keagan Kirkby, who was fatally injured in a point-to-point fall in January.

Brennan said: “This was his (Kirkby’s) favourite horse and he’s going to lead his funeral on Tuesday, so my most important job today was to bring him back safe for that.

“I was going to put them to the sword today as I knew our horse was fit and I knew he was well. The ground is hard work, but it’s not heavy.”

Bucephalus (13-2) took the Download The BetVictor App Novices’ Handicap Hurdle for trainer Neil Mulholland and 7lb claimer Thomosina Eyston, while 2-1 shot Spring Note provided Nicky Henderson with a welcome winner in the Make Your Best Bet At BetVictor Handicap Hurdle under James Bowen.

Makin’yourmindup was one of two winners for Harry Cobden at Newbury
Makin’yourmindup was one of two winners for Harry Cobden at Newbury (Nigel French/PA)

Title-chasing jockey Harry Cobden enjoyed a double on the card, scoring aboard Anthony Charlton’s Knowwhentoholdem (4-1) in the BetVictor Non-Runner-No-Bet At Cheltenham Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle before steering Makin’yourmindup (11-8 favourite) to a clear-cut victory for his boss Paul Nicholls in the Bet Racing In Running At BetVictor Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

“He loves the ground and stays well and I would see him next year as a Welsh National horse – that will be his ultimate aim next year I think,” said Nicholls.

“What we do now I don’t know really, I could just stick him in the Scottish National or something like that in case it was soft.

“He’s improving and the jockey is improving too isn’t he! He’s riding extremely well, eight weeks today is the last day of the season so we’ve got to keep going until then and if he could be champion jockey it would be fantastic for him and the team.”

Following a last time out victory at Wetherby, Harry Derham’s 7-4 favourite Jasmine Bliss doubled her tally in the Stewart Wright Memorial Mares’ Open NH Flat Race, with Paul O’Brien the winning rider.

Gethings hoping Chepstow double can spark more success

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Ciaran Gethings was the man to follow at Chepstow on Sunday, with the jockey hoping a double on the card aboard Galice Macalo and Moonlighter will kick start his season.

Gethings first got on the scoresheet aboard Jane Williams’ Galice Macalo in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

The jockey has now ridden the seven-year-old in her last four outings and was confident a switch back to hurdles would see the 3-1 favourite at her best.

Warwick Races – October 1st 2020
Galice Macalo, here winning at Warwick, made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure under Ciaran Gethings at Chepstow on Sunday (PA)

“I quite fancied her,” he said. “She’s not quite a natural chaser, she’s a little bit careful over her jumps. So we said last time we would step her back over hurdles and she was much happier over them and won well.

“She was down to a good mark and she was a really classy mare in her day, so it was good to get her head back in front and also get a winner for Jane which is nice.”

It took just 30 minutes for Gethings to add to his tally as the 10-year-old Moonlighter showed plenty of guts to rally once headed and get off the mark for trainer Kim Bailey in the Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Handicap Chase.

He continued: “He’s not the easiest and there is a lot that could be said for his jumping sometimes, but I’ve done quite a bit of schooling with him at home.

“He hasn’t ran bad for Kim the last twice, but I think the wind operation helped him breath and he wasn’t panicking as much.

Moonlighter, here winning at Sandown, got on the scoresheet for the first time since switching to Kim Bailey at Chepstow on Sunday
Moonlighter, here winning at Sandown, got on the scoresheet for the first time since switching to Kim Bailey at Chepstow on Sunday (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He jumped brilliantly today and he is so hardy and so genuine as well – he’s had a few tumbles and it obviously doesn’t knock him. He got into a battle after the last and stuck his head out.”

The two victories took the rider up to 16 for the current campaign and with a first double of the season in the bag, he is hoping more opportunities present themselves in a campaign hindered by poor weather.

“I’m probably a little bit slow on numbers this year, but getting two on the board takes you back up the list a bit,” said Gethings.

“It’s just been a quieter year through weather and abandonments, so I’m a little down on rides, but hopefully I’ll be able to get near mid 20 winners again this year – that is always the target.”

Elsewhere on the card, Jonjo O’Neill Jr gave his father’s Monbeg Genius (5-4 favourite) a cute ride to follow up a wide-margin win at Newcastle last month with another five-length success in the Vickers.Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.