ENRILO DENIED WIN AFTER ENQUIRY
A FITTING finale for the newly crowned champions was controversially denied when Enrilo was demoted from first place to third in Sandown’s bet365 Gold Cup, which was awarded to Potterman.
Enrilo (below) took up the running after jumping the last fence under the new champion jockey Harry Skelton but he hampered the fastfinshing Kitty’s Light.
With Skelton then straightening Enrilo, Kitty’s Light finished third with Potterman in second.
But after a stewards’ enquiry, Enrilo was placed third, with Potterman awarded the race and Kitty’s Light promoted to second.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, responsible for Enrilo, said: “The best horse won the race. Could you have said the second or third horse would have won it? No.
“I haven’t seen the head on. It’s frustrating. He caused interference but would Kitty’s Light have won the race?
“I want to have a look at the head on with an expert. If there are grounds for an appeal, we might.”
Success for Potterman enabled Alan King to make it consecutive wins in the race which he took with Talkischeap in 2019.
King said: “I haven’t seen the head on but my view was that if it was in France, we would definitely get it.
“I know it’s not the same here but I’m not going to complain.”
Nicholls had earlier enjoyed success when the popular Frodon was given an inspired ride from Bryony Frost in the bet365 Oaksey Chase.
Frost and Nicholls doubled up as Greaneteen denied Altior a fourth success in the bet365 Celebration Chase.
Reflecting on her season, Frost said: “We have won a King George with Frodon and we have been able to put the icing on the cake here – it’s massive to get Greaneteen his first Grade One victory.”