Deutsch back on track after prison stint

CHARLIE DEUTSCH will not remember 2018 with any great fondness after spending 10 weeks of its summer in Bristol Prison for a drink-driving offence.

But he put last year firmly behind him and got 2019 off to a flyer when guiding the in-form Venetia Williams’ Aso to victory in the Download the Betbright App Handicap Chase at Cheltenham yesterday.

Aso is not the biggest and had a stone more to carry than all his rivals, but he still had time to prick his ears and almost pull himself up halfway up the run-in before beating Happy Diva by two lengths. Racing has always been ready to take back those who have served their penalty and local boy Deutsch was given a huge cheer on his return to the winner’s enclosure.

Deutsch was not entirely sure which way his career would go after Bristol: “I didn’t know what to expect. I just tried to treat it as it was before. Luckily, Venetia treated me brilliantly. I’ve always had a soft spot for this horse. This is my local track and it is always a magical place to ride a winner.”

Colin Tizzard began the new year with a bang when Lostintranslation beat Defi Du Seuil by one-and-a-quarter lengths in the Betbright Dipper Novice Chase. The trainer was purring about the seven-year-old after he led to the second-last under Robbie Power and then fought back to beat the former Triumph Hurdle winner Defi Du Seuil, which had quickened past him between the last two.

“This could be our next good one,” predicted Tizzard. “We’ve been blessed with Cue Card, Native River and Thistlecrack and he’s as good as they were at the same stage. He’s a beautiful chap.”

The Stayers’ Hurdle gained an interesting candidate in the rapidly-improving Midnight Shadow, which won the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle under a confident ride from Danny Cook.

“The owner is keen on the Champion Hurdle but I don’t think we can go back in trip now,” said trainer Sue Smith. “He has a touch of class, jumps great, has a big engine and will be a fantastic chaser.”

Having had no communication with owners Paul and Clare Rooney, who have issued a letter to their trainers telling them not to enter horses at Cheltenham for the time being because of the risk of injury, the racecourse felt it was unable to comment on the matter yesterday. (© Daily Telegraph, London)