Baron Alco is all heart – Moore
today, as this is where he picked up that injury.”
Stablemate Benatar was declared a non-runner on the morning of the race, and Moore added: “I feel sorry for Josh. He would have ridden Baron Alco if both horses had run, but he has already had a good winner this season (Traffic Fluide in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot).”
He went on: “That (jumping) is what won him the race, they are both very bold – the jockey and horse – and they just kept out of the way.
“It’s massive for the yard. We’ve won two nice races so far this season. It has always been my ambition to get more than £1 million in prize money in a season jumping and that helps towards it.
“If we get to a quarter of a million before Christmas it will be all right.
“He is all heart and just does what you want him to do. He has got a great mind as well and if you saw him standing in the saddling box he was as solid as a rock.
“He could get an entry in the Caspian Caviar (Gold Cup, at Cheltenham in December) as the entries close next week. That would be the obvious thing to do.”
The winning rider, who picked up a two-day suspension for his use of the whip, said: “He’s a horse I like a lot. During the week it was hard for me to choose between him and Benatar who to ride. Benatar was a non runner, so I got on him. Josh would have ridden him but took a fall. Hopefully he’s all right.”
A clash with Altior in next month’s Tingle Creek lies in store for Sceau Royal after he made a successful return to action in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham yesterday.
Making his first start since recovering from a suspensory injury sustained in January, the Alan Kingtrained six-year-old looked as good as ever when consigning Simply Ned to second spot in the Grade Two for the third time in his career with a two-and-a-half-length success.
King said of the 5-4 winner: “It was lovely. You always worry slightly after being off with an injury, but this was the only place to start him.
“I never got too anxious and I took a good gulp of red wine, and that seemed to help. It scares the life out me taking on Altior, but why not? Someone has got to take him on. This horse has won round Sandown, and we are going to be match fit, but we are under no illusions.”
Lalor laid down a marker that he could be a serious contender at next year’s Cheltenham Festival with victory in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase.
Now trained by Kayley Woollacott following the sudden death of her husband Richard in January, the sixyear-old looked a potential star with a seven-length victory.
And Danny McMenamin showed no signs of the big occasion getting to him after the 7lb claimer steered the Brian Ellison-trained Nietzsche (20-1) to glory by a neck in the Grade Three Unibet Greatwood Hurdle.