Today’s racing
Punchestown stages the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase (2m4f) today with the nine-runner field including the Willie Mullins-trained Min, who will make his first start of the season in the contest he won last year from Shattered Love, who turns out again.
Also resuming for the season is the Pat Kelly-trained Presenting Percy, who was last seen finishing eighth behind Al Boum Photo in this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Anibale Fly, fifth in the Grand National in April.
Huntingdon also race today and stage the Peterborough Chase (2m4f), with the Kim Bailey-trained Charbel bidding to become the first horse since Racing Demon in 2006 and 2007 to win back-to-back editions of the Grade 2 contest.
Cork in Ireland and Kelso also race over jumps today.
Defi lands Tingle Creek
A thrilling renewal of the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday saw up-and-coming six-year-old Defi Du Seuil get the better of previous winner Un De Sceaux at Sandown.
The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding, racing in the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus, was patiently ridden by Barry Geraghty as Un De Sceaux led the eight-runner field.
At the last fence Defi Du Seuil loomed upsides his rival and he pulled away on the run-in to win by a neck, with Waiting Patiently an eye-catching third.
There was a first Grade 1 for owners Angela and William Rucker and jockey Adam Wedge at Sandown when the Evan Williams-trained Esprit Du Large took the spoils in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.
London National drama
This year’s running of the London National at Sandown was declared void after a lengthy stewards’ enquiry that resulted in seven jockeys receiving ten-day bans, having failing to stop when a yellow flag was raised.
The flag was utilised by officials following the fall of Houblon Des Obeaux after the Pond Fence, with the majority of the field continuing to ride to the finish, the Neil Mulholland-trained Doing Fine crossing the line first. There was a sad postscript as Houblon Des Obeaux died as a result of his fall.
Philip Donovan, riding Doing Fine, Harry Skelton, Daryl Jacob, Jamie Moore, James Davies and Stan Sheppard all received bans. Wedge, who had won earlier on Esprit Du Large, was also banned, with the suspensions set to begin on December 21.
Watership Down invest at Arqana
Having visited their star colt Too Darn Hot at his new home at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket earlier this week, Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber’s Watership Down Stud shelled out €1.3 million for the Listed-winning Frankel Light at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale.
Bought on their behalf by bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson, the four-year-old mare is currently in foal to Dark Angel and will visit Too Darn Hot during his first season at stud.
