Tag Archive for: Rendlesham Hurdle

Botox Has is Rendlesham hero, but no plans for Stayers’ tilt

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Botox Has appears unlikely to throw his hat into the Stayers’ Hurdle ring despite registering a wide-margin victory in the Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

The eight-year-old has been a fine servant to his connections, with two wins at Cheltenham, a National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and a Grade Three handicap win at Haydock last season featuring on his CV.

Gary Moore’s charge kicked off the current campaign with success in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby and has since finished sixth in both the Long Walk at Ascot and the Cleeve at Cheltenham.

Returning to a track and conditions he clearly handles well, Botox Has was set off at 5-2 to complete a big-race double for his trainer and jockey Caoilin Quinn following Salver’s comfortable triumph in the preceding Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.

And after sitting in the slipstream of 6-4 favourite Butch for much of the extended three-mile journey, the eight-year-old took over in the home straight and pulled nine lengths clear on the run-in.

Betfair trimmed Botox Has’ Stayers’ Hurdle odds to 20-1 from 66-1, but Moore’s son and assistant Josh expects him sidestep the Cheltenham Festival in favour of other options.

He said: “He’s won very well and I think he likes a flat track. For all he’s won at Cheltenham and Fontwell in the past, I think a flat track sees the best of him, like at Wetherby and here at Haydock in a handicap hurdle last year.

“I think we’ll probably bypass Cheltenham. He is in the Stayers’, but I don’t think he’ll go there. We might consider the Grade One at Aintree and we may also consider going to France in the spring for the French Champion Hurdle, and there are other races for him there as well.

“We’ll probably save him for Aintree first as I think the track there will suit him and we’ll hope for a soft ground Aintree.”

Jockey Caoilin Quinn
Jockey Caoilin Quinn (David Davies/PA)

Moore was keen to praise the winning rider, whose opportunities looks sure to increase after Josh’s brother Jamie joined him in retirement earlier this week.

He added: “Caoilin is riding very well and he’s actually closing in a bit on the conditional title leader (Patrick Wadge), so hopefully he’ll have a good go at that.”



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Wakool hits new heights with Rendlesham glory

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Gallant grey Wakool admirably stuck to his guns to claim top honours in the Betfred Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

The seven-year-old had previously won six times for Scottish trainer Nick Alexander, steadily climbing the handicap ladder ahead of this Grade Two assignment.

Turning out less than a fortnight after finishing fourth at Musselburgh, Wakool was on and off the bridle at various stages of the extended three-mile contest and rounding the home turn looked booked for minor honours at best, with the strong-travelling Itchy Feet looking the most likely winner.

But Conor O’Farrell never gave up aboard the Alexander runner and his stamina kicked in late on, seeing him get up to beat Itchy Feet by a length and three-quarters, with possible Grand National contender Ashtown Lad best of the rest in third.

“He’s been a tremendous horse and he’s just kept progressing since his juvenile days and now he’s won a Grade Two race, so I’m thrilled,” said Alexander.

“He won his first race at Doncaster three years ago over two miles and that was his first handicap, so he’s moved up the ranks really nicely.

“I just thought he was never travelling to be honest with you. He had a run 13 days ago and had a hard race and this looked as though it had come too soon for him before the turn for home – when he suddenly came back on the bridle.”

Betfair cut Wakool to 16-1 from 33-1 for the Pertemps Final at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but he appears unlikely to be in action at Prestbury Park.

Alexander added: “He’d be qualified for it, but I don’t think we’ll go. I’ll speak to the owners but now he’s won a Grade Two, we’ll try to find another Graded race for him

“It’s quite often that this race isn’t the deepest, perhaps because it’s so close to Cheltenham, so it’s been on my mind for a while and I’m delighted it worked.”



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