Deutsch celebrates award with Commodore win
» TEWKESBURY jockey Charlie Deutsch celebrated being named Great British Racing’s Jockey of the Month for November as Commodore produced a remarkable front-running display to run out a wide-margin winner of the Betfair Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
Making his first appearance since being pulled up at Wincanton in February - and having undergone wind surgery during the intervening period - the Venetia Williams-trained grey was a sight to behold in the winter sunshine at Prestbury Park.
Pressed for much of the threeand-a-quarter-mile contest by Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Santini, Commodore produced some prodigious leaps while the rest of the field trailed by several lengths.
With Santini fading from the home turn, it was left to Irish raider Mister Fogpatches to try to chase down the leader, but Commodore never looked in any real danger of being reeled in and passed the post with 15 lengths in hand.
Williams said: “It was remarkable, I have to say - such a joy to watch.
“Being a grey is quite striking, but he’s such an intelligent jumper and Charlie (Deutsch) gave him a great ride.
“His relentlessness and the accuracy of his jumping was just amazing.
“He probably benefited from only being on 10st, perhaps.
“But when you get in a good jumping rhythm round here, it is such an advantage.”
Deutsch said: “He’s always been a brilliant jumper and he’s a good front-runner.
“It suits because you can make use of him and he jumps so well.
“We got into a lovely rhythm. He’s not always the strongest finisher, but he stormed up the hill.
“I’m so delighted for his owners. He keeps running well, but hasn’t won for a while and to do it here is brilliant.” Deutsch was the decisive winner of the Jockey of the Month prize, having been nominated for his victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury, where he won aboard Cloudy Glen, providing him with his 10th win of the season. Riding for trainer Venetia Williams, the 25-year-old claimed the winner by half a length despite being hard-pressed towards the finish by the well-fancied Fiddler on the roof.
It was his second winner for Williams at the Newbury meeting, having won the day before aboard Fanion D’estruval in the Handicap Chase.
November shows Williams and Deutsch’s partnership continues to be successful with the Ladbrokes Trophy Deutsch’s 137th win for Williams in his career.
Deutsch said, “To be voted Jockey of the Month by racing fans is an honour.
“It has been a great month for me with the Ladbrokes Trophy but the other jockeys nominated also had amazing months, so to be able to top it off with this is really special.
“I want to say thank you to everyone that voted as well as to Venetia and all of the stable staff behind the scenes that helped me to win that race.
“Racing is a team effort and it was a real privilege to ride Cloudy Glen, I am grateful to get to do this for my job every day.”
Deutsch receives £500 to donate to a charity of his choice the Injured Jockeys’ Fund which works to improve the lives of injured jockeys and their families.