VINNDICATION ON THE UP
VINNDICATION will have his sights raised to Grade One targets by trainer Kim Bailey after dismissing his three rivals to land the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot yesterday.
The length-and-a-half victory from Jerrysback, characterised by rock-solid jumping after a slight mistake at the first fence, also saw Coral halve his odds to 10-1 for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March after extending his unbeaten career record to six wins under jockey David Bass.
The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown in February looks the likely destination for a gelding who appears at his best when mud is flying in the worst of the winter.
It was a second steeplechase win for Vinndication, who landed the Sydney Banks Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon last season, but had to miss Cheltenham due to injury.
Vinndication now runs for the 10-strong Moremoneythan syndicate, and Bailey said: ‘The second horse is a good horse — we’ll be hearing a lot more of him — but Vinndication is bone idle and will only pull out as much as he has to. Cheltenham was the great aim last year, but he had sore shins. He is a young horse. He will only be six on January 1.
‘The long-term future of this horse is very important to me. He will go a long way. What you are seeing now is only a frame of what he could be. David believes he is the nicest horse he has ever sat on.’
Sky Bet halved the odds of Angels Breath to 10-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after he beat Danny Kirwan four-and-a-half lengths under Nico De Boinville in the Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle.
Trainer Nicky Henderson, who had introduced another useful novice hurdler in Rathhill at Newbury on Wednesday, said: ‘I’ve got to say even I thought he was impressive.’
The two hurdles in the Ascot home straight were omitted yesterday because their new padded design meant they were moving in the gusting wind.
The track say the issue should be resolved for today’s action.