Special victory for Cloudy Glen
Late Trevor Hemmings wins fourth Ladbrokes Trophy
EMOTIONS ran high at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday as Cloudy Glen upset the odds to land the Ladbrokes Trophy for the late Trevor Hemmings.
It was a poignant victory for the Venetia Williams-trained eight-year-old, who was sporting the green, yellow and white colours of Hemmings, who died in October.
It takes Hemmings’ wins in the race to four as he previously struck with Trabolgan (2005), Many Clouds (2014) and last year’s winner Cloth Cap.
Jockey Charlie Deutsch scored his first victory in this race and he was overjoyed afterwards.
He said: “It is huge for me, but to do it in such distinguished colours for the late Mr Hemmings is just so special and I can’t really believe it to be honest.
“I turned in and thought we were going well and we just needed to keep going, which he did.
“He is a funny horse and he is quirky.
“It is what this sport is all about, for Mr Hemmings and for these special horses and the people that put everything into the sport.”
Cloudy Glen held off the late challenge from Fiddlerontheroof, while last year’s winner Cloth Cap – also owned by Hemmings – finished sixth after battling it out at the front for large parts of the race.
Trainer Williams said: “I am so thrilled and it was an extraordinary vision for Trevor’s two horses to be up at the front and it was Charlie’s decision how to ride the horse.”
The winning trainer was also quick to praise Hemmings’ huge role in the sport.
“He was wonderful and apart from anything else he had the loveliest, wickedest sense of humour.
“He understood horses and he knew you had to be patient.
“In his business he was really on it, but with his horses he was so patient and knew what it took.”
The Willie Mullins duo of Brahma Bull and On The Ropes came third and fourth respectively, while Nicky Henderson’s Brave Eagle finished 10th.