Thistlecrack saunters to King George glory

THISTLECRACK became the first novice to win the King George VI steeplechase on Monday, cantering home at Kempton Park on what was just his fourth race over fences.

The 8-year-old – winning his ninth successive race – with jockey Tom Scudamore took the race by the scruff of the neck on the final bend, easing away from the defending champion Cue Card, also trained by Colin Tizzard, before jumping the last three fenc e s s a f el y to t a ke t he £119,000 ($146,000) first prize.

Thist l e c rack, t he 11-10 favourite who was unbeatable as a staying hurdler last season, is now a short-priced antepost favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Cue Card – whose hopes of landing jump racing’s Triple Crown and £1 million bonus disappeared with this defeat – stayed on one-paced for second, three lengths in arrears, just ahead of two-time winner Silviniaco Conti.

Scudamore, whose father Peter and Michael were also renowned jockeys, wiped away tears after crossing the line and declared Thistlecrack to be a “phenomenon”.

“I thought he would win, but I never thought as easily as this,” he said. “He’s a phenomenal racehorse. He’s a great ride, and I am thrilled to be a part of the team.”

Scudamore, 34, was unequivocal when asked how high he rated him compared to other horses.

“He’s on his own,” he said. “Between my grandfather [Michael], father [Peter] and myself with thousands of winners, he is in a different class.”

Tizzard, who initially took up training in 1994 as a secondary p u r s u i t a l o n g s i d e d a i r y farming in the Southwest of England, said Thistlecrack’s d i s pl a y ha d b e e n q ui t e spectacular.

“It was quite frightening to watch when Cue Card came upsides him eight fences out,” said the 60-year-old.

“But racing is a fickle place as Thistlecrack showed. We had always intended to run him because he is 8 years old not 5 or 6 like a lot of novices.

“He’s at the peak of his powers at the moment,” added Tizzard, who plans to race him one more time at Cheltenham before the Festival.

Paddy Brennan brought Cue Card upside Thistlecrack early on the second circuit to try and give his two-years-younger stablemate a going over, but three from home he was left flailing.