Bristol De Mai was the king of this place once again and Might Bite flopped badly in a Betfair Chase shrouded in controversy over the unexpected stiffness of the fences. “I don’t think they were fair,” said a clearly rattled Nico de Boinville after dismounting from the beaten favourite and the management responded by stating that changes will be made before racing takes place here next month.
In jump racing’s days of yore, Haydock was famed for big, stiff fences with drops on the landing side; trainers were accordingly careful about which horses they brought here and jockeys moderated the aggression of their tactics. But that became history when portable fences were introduced in 2007, since when the track’s reputation has been for requiring very little in the way of jumping ability.
So it was a considerable surprise on Saturday when racing’s circus turned up to find fences that Colin Tizzard described as the biggest and stiffest he had ever seen. In the three races over fences other than the big race itself, five of the 20 runners fell and a further two unseated.
Thankfully, all five of the star names in the Betfair Chase completed the course but there were some mistakes along the way and Might Bite and Thistlecrack were notably careful in some of their leaps as the race progressed. Bristol De Mai, or Bristol De Haydock as he is affectionately known to his loyal supporters, jumped boldly and well for the most part and his relentless galloping gave him a second consecutive Betfair Chase, albeit by four lengths rather than last year’s 57.
Might Bite was clearly beaten by the last and was allowed to come home in his own time, De Boinville being inclined to blame the energy he lost ballooning the obstacles. “Those fences, they were very upright and big. I don’t think they were fair. Too stiff, I’d say,” he said. “We’ll get him back home and get him slick and quick over his fences again.”
Might Bite’s trainer, Nicky Henderson, said the horse would be scoped in search of a possible explanation. “He was spending too much time in the air. But that’s not the whole story. Maybe he wasn’t as straight as I thought he was. We’re not blaming fences, we’ve got to blame the trainer.”
Fence-making is more art than science but it appears there has been some misjudgment here, particularly as the aim in building this season’s fences was to replicate those that drew no complaints here last year. Kirkland Tellwright, the clerk of the course, said: “When we went to portable fences, they were really tearing round as if it was a point to point track. So we became aware of the need to make them bigger and stiffer and there’s always the risk that you’ve just slightly overdone it.
“We’ll probably make them not as broad and just cut an inch or two off the top of them, so they’re a shade lower and not as deep.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies revelled in his third Betfair Chase success. “When you’re the underdog and then you go and stuff them, that’s great,” the trainer said. But he intimated that the difficulty now will be keeping Bristol De Mai sound and healthy for the King George on Boxing Day. “It’s a work of art, keeping him right.”
The Tizzard pair, Native River and Thistlecrack, were game in second and third and both may improve again for the run. The way Thistlecrack powered home in the last 100 yards suggests the old boy might have one last big day in him after all.
Exeter 12.50 Tactical Manoeuvre 1.20 Norse Legend 1.50 Deauville Dancer 2.20 Lil Rockerfeller (nap) 2.50 New Millennium 3.20 Fanfan Du Seuil 3.50 Soulsaver
Uttoxeter 1.10 Quiz Master 1.40 Coded Message (nb) 2.10 Capard King 2.40 Notwhatiam 3.10 Zayfire Aramis 3.40 White Lilac
