BEN FITS BILL AT WETHERBY
FORMER tearaway Top Ville Ben put the misery of Cheltenham behind him with a convincing victory at Wetherby yesterday.
He jumped his rivals into the ground in the 3m novice chase and made every yard of the running under Sean Quinlan.
Top Ville Ben’s success came just six days after he hit the deck early in the RSA Chase when quietly fancied by Kirby.
The seven-year-old, formerly with Nicky Henderson, used to be headstrong but has been transformed since moving to Kirby’s North Yorkshire base.
He will now head to Aintree for the Grade One Mildmay Novices’ Chase next month.
Kirby said: “This was just to get him back up and running as the owners want to go to Aintree.
“We went to Cheltenham thinking he had a realistic chance but he didn’t get far. But he was good today and we will have more good days
I’m sure.
“He settles now.
He is also a
Grand National horse of the future.”
Kirby also galloped his recent £360,000 recruit Blaklion after racing at Wetherby yesterday and is happy with his preparation for the Grand National.
He confirmed that Sean Quinlan would ride the horse at Aintree.
“I am trying to keep him fresh. I half thought about running him at Cheltenham but we resisted.
“The plan was to bring him here and have a nice gallop round with Niven, who is a 130 horse, although he won’t be doing anything too exciting.
“Sean [Quinlan] will ride Blaklion at
Aintree.”