GOING FOR GOLD
Ellison: Hero Red will now Definitly head for Festival
BRIAN Ellison is gunning for Cheltenham Gold Cup glory with Definitly Red following an impressive display in the Betbright Trial Cotswold Chase on Saturday.
A dominant success at Aintree in December suggested the nine-year-old was better than ever, but his Gold Cup credentials faced a serious examination at Prestbury Park, with Ellison unsure about his suitability for the track.
Those fears proved unfounded as Definitly Red (7-1) travelled well and jumped slickly in the hands of Danny Cook and made light of testing conditions to score by a fairly emphatic eight lengths.
Ellison said: “He’s just got better every year and the plan this year was to keep him fresh.
“Today would tell us if we went for the Gold Cup, so we’ll go now.”
It was also ladies’ day at Cheltenham as Lizzie Kelly and Bryony Frost further advertised their considerable skills in the saddle.
Kelly booted home the Nick Williams-trained Agrapart (9-1) in the Cleeve Hurdle - his second big-race success at the home of National Hunt racing following last year’s victory in the Relkeel Hurdle.
“This horse has helped shape my career, the owners have been so good to me,” said Kelly.
“Once this horse gets his head in front he doesn’t like being beaten.”
Beer Goggles, running in the memory of Richard Woollacott, who died earlier in the week aged 40, finished fifth, having led for much of the way under Richard Johnson.
A minute’s silence in memory of Woollacott was held before the Cleeve.
Johnson said: “The most important thing is to remember Richard in the spirit we always saw him at the races in.”
Bryony Frost has become the queen of Saturdays in recent weeks and was at it again aboard Frodon (13-2), who was a most impressive winner of the Crest Nicholson Handicap Chase.
Frost said: “What a beautiful feeling it is coming up this hill on a horse like this.”