Metier confirms potential with front-running Sandown win
THERE are one or two illustrious names on the roll of honour when it comes to the Tolworth Hurdle, and time might show Metier is another after his victory in the Unibet-sponsored feature at Sandown Park on Saturday.
A useful performer on the Flat in Ireland for Andrew Slattery, the Mastercraftsman gelding subsequently changed hands for 150,000 guineas to pursue a jumping career with Harry Fry.
He made a fine start for his new connections when impressing on his hurdling bow at Newton Abbot in October – and, having since doubled his tally with a front-running display at Ascot, Metier was the 7-4 favourite to complete his hat-trick in this Grade One feature.
Always travelling well in the hands of Sean Bowen, the five-year-old powered clear in the testing conditions to score emphatically by 12 lengths.
Fry said: “He comes alive on the racecourse. It was ideal we didn’t have to make our own running today, as they went a good tempo. Sean said he just jumped for fun.
“Turning into the bottom, he had a double handful. Very rarely do races go quite so smoothly, and certainly not at this level, but I’m absolutely delighted for [owner] Gary Stevens.
“We bought him over a year ago now and he had to wait over 12 months to see him first run. I’m delighted that patience is being rewarded.
“This is a lovely race to win and I’m absolutely delighted to get a first Grade One winner from the new yard, having only moved in back in June.”
Looking to future plans, Fry said: “I think you’ve got to consider that [the Supreme] We will enjoy this moment then work out whether we go straight there [Cheltenham] or look at something in between.
“The Betfair Hurdle entries close this week, for which you have to have a third run by next weekend anyway, but he has probably gone about it the wrong way.
“He will certainly have an entry. It will be an interesting conversation with the handicapper.”
Sandy Thomson enhanced his reputation for restoring horses to their former glories as he sent out Seeyouatmidnight to land the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Having revived the fortunes of Grade One scorer Yorkhill to win the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle in November, the Lambden handler saw his magic touch work wonders again as his stable stalwart rolled back the years in the three-mile prize.
Racing prominently throughout, the dual Grade Two scorer moved into a lead he would not surrender jumping the last out of the back straight, despite being faced with a host of challengers.
Thomson said: “We are here today because of him. If it wasn’t for him, where would our training career be?
“It is such a shame he hasn’t been a sounder horse throughout his career, but he has given us so many great days. You just have to enjoy the good ones. This will give me immense pleasure, as has any race he has won, because he has very seldom gone out in a little novice chase or hurdle – he has always had to go out with the big boys.”
Though Thomson has enjoyed many memorable days with Seeyouatmidnight, he believes he could have gone on to even greater glory had his career not been interrupted at various points by injury.
He added: “We bought him at Doncaster and it was almost seven years ago to the day that he won at Hexham. That was the beginning, then it was on to Musselburgh and the Rendlesham, then the novice hurdle at Aintree. Then it all sort of went wrong.
“He was bang there at the last in the [2015] World Hurdle, but it was his second run of the season and he wasn’t quite fit enough, probably. He had a great novice chase career, winning the [2016] Dipper, then beating Bristol De Mai – then it really did go a bit wrong.”
Willie Mullins reports dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo to have come out of his traditional season-opener at Tramore in great heart.
The nine-year-old will be bidding to join an elite list of National Hunt greats in March, with Golden Miller (five times), Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate the only horses to have won the blue riband more than twice.
Minutes after he crossed the line on New Year’s Day, Mullins was rather nonplussed with the performance and briefly contemplated another run before March – but on reflection he feels the run was better than it appeared.
“He seems great after his run,” said Mullins, speaking at Fairyhouse yesterday. “The first two miles of the race were run at two-mile pace, with Djingle cutting out a fast pace. When we put it all together, I was much happier when I analysed it at home than I was leaving the racetrack.
“To beat a 150 horse 19 lengths could be as good as any performance over Christmas.”