Sir Gino proved his excellence was intact with a win in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park.
Nicky Henderson’s charge has not been seen in competitive action since the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at this meeting 12 months ago, with an infection cutting short his season and landing him in hospital.
Sir Gino, helped back to fitness by the Seven Barrows team, finished fourth-seventh in an eagerly anticipated return to form in a Grade 1 event won by respected stablemate Constitution Hill the previous three seasons.
Five-year-old Sir Gino completed the race with trademark enthusiasm throughout the race before taking Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace by six lengths to an impressive victory.
More to follow…
Kitzbuhel twinkles on the Kauto Star
Kitzbuhel produced a superb lead-off display to give Willie Mullins his first win in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.
Kitzbuhel, a Grade 3 winning hurdler and decisive scorer on his pursuit debut at Punchestown last month, was the 13-8 favorite for the three-mile Grade 1 trip and class and soon took charge of the job in the hands of Paul Townend.
Kitzbuhel was strong on the front line at Kempton.
While main market rivals Wendigo and Thomas Mor appeared to struggle to keep up on this speed-favoring track, Kitzbuhel got into perfect rhythm at the front and made a huge leap up the back straight, leaving the chasing pack on the back foot.
The eventual runner-up, Thomas Mor, briefly threatened to close the gap on the home turn, but Kitzbuhel was not one to catch and, although well away from the final hurdle, moved safely to the other side to win by a visually impressive two and a quarter lengths.
“He sprinted and jumped and found he could easily make it back for about 2.5 miles,” Mullins said.
“Some of the jumps he attempted were good and he looked like an experienced hand. Paul rode him with so much confidence. It would be fantastic if he can maintain that for the rest of the season.”
“You’re hoping they keep jumping and don’t make mistakes that allow the field to get back into the race. I was afraid of Paul Nicholls and his horse (Blueking d’Oroux) but he didn’t seem to be running well here and Thomas Mor came rattling on. He missed the second last by a bit and we got better at the end and in the end we finished happy.”
He continued: “We have a good team of novice chasers and I hope they are sound. I think you will see something here at the Dublin Racing Festival or equivalent, perhaps Scilly Isles or something like that.
“It’s all a mix of these things and we’ll have to see how it all plays out over Christmas and then sit down and figure it all out.”
Townend enjoyed King George’s success on a visit to Kempton 12 months ago and was delighted to be in the Sunbury winner’s enclosure once again.
“It was great and as a beginner it was a huge help to have him running so well at a place like Kempton. He winged it first and after that I could just dictate,” the jockey said.
“I haven’t been here often so I wouldn’t know much about riding something like this around here, but it seemed like the right thing to do for him and thankfully it worked out.”
