Hungry to win
Andrew Barlow’s extreme diet secures a repeat win with Brackloon High
AN extreme diet and a hunger to win back-to-back Coronation Gold Cups — the prestigious feature race of the day — paid off for jockey Andrew Barlow aboard Brackloon High.
“I was overweight last year after struggling to lose it but, having decided just three weeks ago to aim for a repeat win, I have been starving myself,” explained Andrew, who fended off runners-up Page Fuller and Mon Parrain.
“It was important not to get to the front too soon and to time my run just right, as Brackloon High loves to go past other horses,” he added.
The novice riders’ race was mostly controlled by Bridge End and Little Chip, however, it was Adrenalin Flight, who powered home first under Matt Fielding to give the rider his debut win
(see box, above right).
In the restricted, Western Movie’s severe left-handed jumping and Hardy Morning’s bad mistake at the last helped It Has To Be and Ed Henderson win by a good distance.
The gelding is owned and trained by Ed’s father Guy Henderson, who is the chief executive of Ascot Racecourse.
“It’s more exciting to have your son riding and Ed stuck exactly to the game plan,” said Guy. “It Has To Be is a lovely horse, who has really come into himself this season.”
A GALLANT WIN
ALTERNATIF and Gorden Treacy gallantly fought off Squirrel Esquire (Page Fuller) in the conditions race, giving trainer Jade Barber her second winner in a matter of weeks and delighting owner, Peter Barfoot.
“I took up pointing after a bad fall which forced me to give up polo — it was a way to keep in contact with horses,” said Peter.
Most of the 11 runners in the maiden conditions contest jumped well, although Beauchamp Ruby suffered a heavy fall at the seventh, and it was Cool Valley who jumped and travelled the best to win.
“The owners brought him off the internet as a hunter, but he didn’t take to it, so they sent him pointing,” said the nine-year-old’s trainer Liz Harris.
The last race of the day, the 3m open maiden, was delayed when Sulamani The Late deposited James Bailey and ran a circuit of the course loose. The drama didn’t stop there; during the race, Nosayso, Cup Of Gold and Mothers Rest were all fallers and three more horses pulled up.
The race was won by the classy four-year-old, Interconnnected, who is trained by Sophie Lacey.
“He is a very good horse,” said jockey Tommie O’Brien. “I nearly had to slow him down after I’d squeezed him up the home straight.”