Redicean looks ready to take bite out of Apple
Redicean, who is now three wins from three starts over hurdles at Kempton, cemented his position as the biggest threat to the favourite, Apple’s Shakira, in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in just over a fortnight with a slick
seven-length victory in the Betdaq Adonis Juvenile Hurdle yesterday.
On drying ground which, for the first time this year was more like the going they will race on at the Festival, Redicean jumped immaculately, but it was the turn of foot he showed from the back of the second-last hurdle which won him the race and, knowing he has a few gears up his sleeve, will stand jockey Wayne Hutchinson in good stead in the Triumph.
Alan King’s gelding is now between 9-2 and 7-1 for the race, while Apple’s Shakira, winner of her three starts – contrastingly, all at Cheltenham – is 5-2. But King, who has won the Triumph with Katchit and Penzance, was not worried that the Festival would be Redicean’s first visit to the Cotswolds.
“I’m thrilled,” said King. “His jumping was very slick. It was slightly novicey before but I should think he’s jumped 200 hurdles since his last run. We had a rush to get him ready for his run here at Christmas because he didn’t arrive until October and we had him gelded. He won over a mile and six furlongs on the Flat, so he’s going to stay. I haven’t been deliberately coming here to Kempton. The ground doesn’t matter to him.”
Neither Master Dee, who continued Fergal O’Brien’s great run this season by landing another big prize when taking
the Betdaq Handicap Chase, nor Global Citizen, who was as impressive as Redicean when taking the Sky Bet Dovecote Novice Hurdle, will go to Cheltenham this year.
Barry Geraghty gave Master Dee a superb ride, nursing him into the contest late on to get the better of Ballykan by 3¾ lengths. “He came here after three months off, fresh and well,” said O’Brien. “He is the model of consistency. Barry doesn’t think that Cheltenham is his track and that’s why we’ve stuck to flat tracks.”
Global Citizen, who came home nine lengths clear, arrived in Ben Pauling’s yard only just before the entries closed for the Supreme – but that may not be such a bad thing. “That was quite exciting,” said Pauling, whose horses are back in form after a mid-season lull.
“It looked a bit brave running him here but we hadn’t had the horses five minutes when the entries closed. I think Aintree will be more his track.”