The reigning Champion Hurdler Golden Ace claimed the second Grade 1 victory of her increasingly impressive career when landing the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in the hands of Lorcan Wyer.
Through 14 starts, Ian Gosden’s seven-year-old has now triumphed eight times, and led a dual Grade 1 strike for her sire Golden Horn at the Cheltenham Festival, which was competed by the Triumph Hurdle winner Poniros on his first start over hurdles.
Trained by Jeremy Scott, Golden Ace was bred by Meon Valley Stud from the Dubawi mare Deuce Again.
Scott said after the race, “We said we’d run her here today then if everything went well we’d probably go to the International and then to the Champion Hurdle, that’s the plan.”
With the National Hunt season still in its early stages, Golden Horn has so far been represented by 12 winners from 36 runners for a strike-rate of 33 per cent.
It was a good day for the Overbury Sires at Newcastle with the progressive Konfusion having landed the Rehearsal Chase by 15 lengths for Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith. The seven-year-old son of Schiaparelli, who was bred by Carl Hinchy, has won twice already this season and took his tally of victories to four. He is likely to head next for the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby, where he is far unbeaten in two starts.
Konfusion was the fourth winner of the week from just ten runners for Schiaparelli, who was also represented in winner’s circles across the country by Wyenot at Ludlow, Secret Vino at Southwell and Paper Mill at Uttoxeter.
Never forgotten, the late Kayf Tara got in on the Grade 1 action at Fairyhouse when his son Romeo Coolio won the Drinmore Novice Chase for Gordon Elliott by eight lengths. Bred by Will Kinsey from the Kapgarde mare Miss Bailly, the exciting six-year-old was claiming his second win at the top level.
