The Bedrock of success

BEDROCK inflicted a surprise defeat on the returning Samcro in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal. The Gordon Elliotttrained Samcro carried all before him in the novice division last season, winning his first four starts including the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old was a prohibitivelypriced 4-9 favourite for his comeback under Jack Kennedy and all appeared to be going according to plan for much of the two-mile contest. Samcro got a lead before moving to the front rounding the home turn, but he did not quicken as anticipated and was soon claimed by Iain Jardine’s Bedrock. ‘He’s been sold to race in America,’ Jardine revealed. ‘But I hope he’ll stay here for the time being. ‘I’ll have to speak to the new owners, but it would be good to keep him and aim for something like the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and if that went well you’d have to look at the Champion Hurdle. We’ll see what happens.’