Kemboy, one of the ante-post favourites for the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury on Saturday, will miss the biggest betting race of the weekend after poor weather conditions on the ferry crossing from Ireland disrupted his travel plans from Willie Mullins’s stable in County Carlow.
The six-year-old sprang towards the top of the market for Saturday’s race after an impressive win on his seasonal debut at Clonmel earlier this month, and was as short as 9-2 in the betting after 14 runners were declared on Thursday morning. By then, however, he should have been halfway across the Irish Sea, but after his scheduled ferry was cancelled, the decision was taken to rule out the trip to Newbury altogether.
“We were looking forward to having a horse with a leading chance in such a prestigious race,” Steve Massey, the racing manager for the Supreme Horse Racing Club syndicate which owns Kemboy, said on Thursday, “but we can’t do anything about the weather.
“The ferry was cancelled this morning and the ferries later tonight could be delayed. Even if he did get a ferry late, he could have a rough trip and might not get to Newbury until the early hours of the morning. It’s a big blow and disappointing for all his owners, but we know he’s an exciting horse and we have to do what is in his best interests.”
With Kemboy absent, the field for the race will be the smallest for 19 years and well short of the 20 that went to post 12 months ago, when Mullins’s Total Recall gave the trainer his first victory in a race formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup.
While Kemboy’s connections were frustrated by the weather, however, Gordon Elliott reported on Thursday that Samcro was on his way to Newcastle for what promises to be an exceptional renewal of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday.
Samcro, last season’s Neptune Novice Hurdle winner, will line up against Buveur D’Air, the dual Champion Hurdle winner, and Summerville Boy, who took the Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
“The travel is grand,” Elliott said. “Normally he would go tonight for Saturday, but we went this morning to be on the safe side. He couldn’t get on this morning at Cork, but he got on the on the boat at 2pm so he’s on his way to Newcastle.”
Southwell: 11.20 Honey GG, 11.50 Novabridge, 12.25 Restive, 1.00 Victoria Drummond, 1.30 First Excel, 2.05 Stanley, 2.40 Earl Of Bunnacurry, 3.15 Boots And Spurs.
Doncaster: 12.00 Minella Bobo, 12.35 Charmant, 1.10 The Tangler Barry, 1.40 Buster Thomas, 2.15 Almost Gold, 2.50 Blakerigg, 3.25 Nineohtwooneoh.
Newbury: 12.10 Betameche, 12.45 Kupatana, 1.20 Mr Pumblechook, 1.50 Lostintranslation (nb), 2.25 King's Odyssey (nap), 3.00 Sam Spinner, 3.35 Bobo Mac.
Newcastle: 5.15 Insurplus, 5.45 Bataar, 6.15 Moonraker, 6.45 Melgate Majeure, 7.15 Assimile, 7.45 Thaayer, 8.15 Viking Way, 8.45 Santafiora.
