Cheltenham Results: Barbatos takes first race of 2012

The Cheltenham Festival / Timeform / 01 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Barbatos wins the first Cheltenham race of 2012

"Boasting the best form in the 14-runner field, the Ian Williams-trained grey gave a boost to his recent Sandown conqueror Fingal Bay..."

Barbatos landed the first race of 2012 run at Cheltenham when benefiting from a classic waiting ride from Paddy Brennan in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle...

Boasting the best form in the 14-runner field, the Ian Williams-trained grey gave a boost to his recent Sandown conqueror Fingal Bay, in a race where morning gamble Master of The Game failed to menace.

Brennan bided his time until launching the ([5.9]) shot at Forgotten Gold rounding the home turn. The combination were soon in charge and, despite trading at an in-running high of ([14.0]), went on to score by seven lengths from the staying-on Batonnier, with Forgotten Gold weakening into third, a further two lengths back.

Williams, who is unsure whether to bring Barbatos back here for the Neptune at the Festival, said: "He had the form in the book to run very well in this race, although you are always concerned about young horses coming through.

"He didn't handle the ground at Sandown, it was really holding soft ground. If the ground was good I wouldn't be frightened of taking on Fingal Bay again over this trip."

Fingal Bay is currently Timeform top-rated amongst the Novice Hurdlers and Betfair favourite for both the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett, whilst Barbatos remains an interesting outsider in both contests.

Later on the Cheltenham card, Champion Court stated his case for a possible run in the RSA Chase at the Festival with a supreme display of jumping under Alain Cawley in the Cheltenham Pony Club Raceday Novices' Chase.

Trained close to the racecourse by Martin Keighley and sent off [(7.8]), Champion Court made all and frequently out-jumped his five rivals, never trading higher than ([8.2]) in running, with hot favourite Sonofvic ([2.27]) ruining his chance with several sloppy mistakes.

The worst of these came at the top of the hill, an error from which Ruby Walsh performed the recovery of the season to keep the partnership intact, but by then Sonofvic was a spent force.

Champion Court was meanwhile being hotly pressed by Solix and Invictus, but neither of those horses were able to make that much impression as Champion Court went on to score by a length and three-quarters and eight.

"Some of the leaps he put in were fantastic for a young horse. It's a great start to the New Year, and it shows you can't beat experience round a track like Cheltenham."

Looking ahead, Keighley said: "There are a few handicap options, but if Grands Crus goes for the Gold Cup we might go for the RSA Chase."

Champion Court is currently available to back at ([30.0]) in the RSA, with Grands Crus currently the ([4.6]) favourite.

Mostly Bob and Calgary Bay took the two handicap features at Cheltenham, landing the spoils at odds of ([5.95]) and ([11.4]).

Mostly Bob didn't look like winning for the majority of his race, trading at an in running high of ([200.0]), whilst Calgary Bay was always travelling well and found plenty under pressure in the closing stages.