We enjoyed the quickest of trebles inside fifty minutes on Monday with KILBEG KING and WINDANCE winning successive races at Fontwell before LILITH completed the hat-trick at Carlisle.
I was delighted to see Kilbeg King back in the winning groove under a penalty in The Cazoo Novices Hurdle over two and three quarter miles ridden by Aidan Coleman. He is a class act and was far from disgraced in finishing fifth in the competitive Grade 1 Challow Hurdle on attritional ground at Newbury.
He was just out of his comfort zone the whole way that day but kept on willingly to the finish.
The Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham is a bit of a pipedream for him but I value Aidan’s judgement and will see what he thinks about taking Kilbeg King to the Festival. There are plenty of other options for a horse who is lightly raced for his age and will be going chasing next season.
It was good to see Windance bounce back to form in the Download The At The Races App Novices’ Handicap Chase ridden by Aidan after a below par run at Exeter last week. His owners, who race under the banner of Decimus Racing III, have had to be patient as he missed last season with a tendon injury.
We were hopeful going to Exeter where Windance was found out by the high tempo of the race with Rex Dingle eventually pulling him up. He was much better suited by calmer waters at Fontwell where the slower pace and longer distance of the valuable novice handicap Chase played to his strengths. I’m so pleased we gave it a go by turning him out again quickly because he was always travelling and jumping like the best horse and drew clear in the closing stages to win unchallenged.
Some of the enthusiastic team who own Windance are also involved with Decimus VI whose colours were worn by Rex Dingle in victory at Carlisle on Lilith in the valuable Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Mares’ Handicap Chase over two miles, five furlongs.
Consistent and genuine Lilith briefly seemed booked for second place on the uphill run in before leading again in the last half furlong.
The plan is to take Lilith back to Punchestown for the handicap she won in style there at the end of last season. She will not mind conditions whatever the ground, thrives on a busy programme and will probably have another outing before then.
