Many owners spend a lifetime in racing without experiencing even a fraction of the success that Sir Alex Ferguson has enjoyed over the last 48 hours, and the former Manchester United manager’s second big-race double in as many days here on Saturday came with the promise of better yet to come.
Il Ridoto, from the Paul Nicholls stable, was his biggest winner on the afternoon, taking the Paddy Power Gold Cup, the feature event of Cheltenham’s November meeting, by four and a half lengths, but it was the emphatic success of L’Eau du Sud in the card’s two-mile novice chase that will have Ferguson dreaming of a winner at the Festival meeting here in March.
Ferguson, who now co-owns horses with his long-time friend Ged Mason, has previously had shares in a Classic winner on the Flat as well as a Grade One treble at Aintree three years ago, but even by those high standards, his current, seemingly infallible run of form is remarkable, after enjoying a lucrative Friday in Bahrain thanks to Spirit Dancer’s victory there.
Il Ridoto set off at 10-1, the apparent second-string in Nicholls’s team behind the 3-1 favourite, Ginny’s Destiny, but Freddie Gingell, his 18-year-old jockey, sent the seven-year-old to the front around the home turn as Ginny’s Destiny started to drop back through the field, and then carved out a decisive lead with fine jumps over the final two fences.
“I texted Ged before the race and said it’s the best I’ve ever seen him look, and if he runs like he looks, he’ll go close,” Nicholls said. “He’s run in these races every year and he deserves to win one. They’re a great bunch of lads [that own Il Ridoto], they’ve got some great horses with Dan [Skelton], with me and with Willie [Mullins]. It must be one of the best squads that Fergie’s had for a long time.”
Fontwell
12.20 Authentic Legacy 12.55 West Orchard 1.30 Kado De Joie 2.05 Whydah Gally 2.40 Quantock Hills 3.15 Gearing’s Point 3.50 Whynotnowroy
Cheltenham
1.10 Whimsy 1.45 Primoz (nb) 2.20 Calico 2.55 Abuffalosoldier
3.30 Be Aware (nap) 4.00 Minella Hollow
Il Ridoto has been a highly competitive handicapper over both the Old and New Courses here for three seasons now, earning nearly £300,000 for his owners in the process, but is unlikely to move any further up the ladder. L’Eau du Sud, though, looks like a Grade One winner in waiting, and will step up to the highest level for his next start in the Henry VIII Novice Chase at Sandown in early December.
L’Eau du Sud was a high-class handicapper over hurdles last season, finishing second in both the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury and the County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham’s Festival meeting. He already looks even better over fences, however, and is priced up at about 10-1 for the Arkle Trophy Novice Chase on the opening day of this year’s festival on 11 March.
Leicester 12.40 Release The Kraken 1.10 I Love Paris 1.40 Woodland Park 2.10 Impatient 2.40 Purple Gown 3.10 Northern Reel 3.40 Dominic’s Fault
Plumpton 12.50 Roman Roy 1.20 Matchless 1.50 Menaggio 2.20 Smugglers Haven 2.50 Koenigsstern 3.20 Magical Arthur
Exeter 1.00 Gyenyame 1.30 Florencethemachine 2.00 Kick Up A Storm 2.30 Basilette 3.00 Vaguely Royal 3.30 Getupearly 4.00 Maldini Milano
Southwell 4.15 Solar Army 4.45 Zanzoun 5.15 Kodebreaker 5.45 Available Angel 6.15 Wonder Legend 6.45 The Coffee Pod 7.15 Marcus 7.45 Running Spirit 8.15 Ormolulu
Wolverhampton 4.30 Manara 5.00 Tabby 5.30 Fiorella Princess 6.00 Good Banter 6.30 Rizg (nap) 7.00 Caesars Pearl 7.30 State Flag (nb) 8.00 Lusaka 8.30 Ocean Ridge
“With a horse like him you are entitled to get excited,” Skelton, L’Eau du Sud’s trainer, said. “He has done it around the track and has got the form in the book. Yes, there will be shorter-priced horses [for the Arkle] who achieved more over hurdles, but they have yet to prove their suitability.
“We’ve got one tick in the box now and he’ll go to Sandown and hopefully cement his place as the best two-mile novice in Britain, although I know Nicky [Henderson] and Paul [Nicholls] might have something to say about that.”
James Owen, who is fresh from an outstanding debut season on the Flat, took the opening juvenile hurdle for the second year running with a highly rated recruit from there and is now likely to give East India Dock just one more run before the Triumph Hurdle on Gold Cup day in March.
East India Dock was even more impressive than Burdett Road, last year’s winner of the same race, and is priced up at about 10-1 for the Triumph. “He relaxes more than Burdett Road and I think the New Course will suit him better,” Owen said. “He has run twice over hurdles now and hasn’t made a mistake.”
