On The Blind Side bound for Ballymore after Sandown romp
Challow Hurdle at Newbury could be next following facile success
Nicky Henderson has no shortage of potential superstars housed at Seven Barrows and On The Blind Side appears to be one of them after maintaining his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Friday.
Despite being burdened with a 5lb penalty for his Grade Two victory at Cheltenham last month, the 6-5 favourite followed up with an impressive nine-length triumph in a two-and-a-half-mile contest registered as the Winter Novices’ Hurdle.
Following the race the winner was cut from 33-1 into 10-1 by Coral for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, while Ladbrokes went 8-1 for the same race.
Henderson said: “He has got a great temperament for it and a lovely attitude. It did surprise me a little bit as I thought it was a competitive looking field. I liked the way he quickened away from them. It was tidy.
“The last thing I said to Nico (de Boinville) was don’t get fooled into thinking because you were off the bridle for a bit at Cheltenham that he’s slow, because he’s not.
“I would say the Ballymore (will be his Festival target) at the moment. It would be nice to go to the Challow (Newbury, December 30) and then leave him off.
“You know me, I could then go to bed until March.”
Dan Skelton celebrated his first winner at the Esher course in 1,322 days after the application of blinkers did the trick for Workbench in the Tokio Marine Kiln Handicap Chase.
The Alcester handler said of the 4-1 winner: “My last winner here was Ballincurrig on the final day of the 2013-14 season.
“He (Workbench) should have won at Aintree last time, but he lost interest until the third-last and that is why we put blinkers on him – to sharpen him up.
“We will probably enter him in the Castleford at Wetherby and see if he gets in that.”
Longsdon said: “What an old dude. The plan has been the veterans’ final here next month and this was a stepping stone there.
“The big difference is that he settled today. Dicky (Richard) Johnson was annoyed with him last time and he said not many 13 year-olds run off with him!
“He travelled so well and things went his way. They went a nice gallop and he was in the perfect position the whole way round.”
Quote of the day
There are few greater sights than seeing veteran horses roll back the years and Charlie Longsdon was delighted to see his “old dude” Pete The Feat win again.
He said: “There is still life in the old dog. He turns 14 next month but what an old star.”
Performance of the day
Ride of the day
Fast rising star Harry Cobden showed why his services are sought after when steering the far from straight forward Touch Kick to victory in the two-and-a-half-mile novices’ limited chase, giving trainer Paul Nicholls his first winner at the course in 335 days.
Bizarre moment of the day
