Masaccio could go for Gold after winning comeback at Newbury
Alan King’s charge defies lengthy absence at Berkshire circuit.
Masaccio may have earned himself a return to Newbury for the Coral Gold Cup after defying a 572-day absence to win the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.
Third at the Cheltenham Festival in March of last year, he then won a competitive handicap chase at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting the following month, but had not been seen in competitive action since.
Sent off at 33-1 for his comeback and return to the smaller obstacles, the nine-year-old defied both his trainer’s pre-race assessment and market expectations, proving his engine very much intact as he reeled in the front-running Miami Magic and went on to score by a length and a quarter.
Masaccio was cut to 20-1 by both Paddy Power and the sponsors for the Coral Gold Cup and King will consider a crack at that valuable prize on November 28.
“I’m blown away and I thought he would really need it, but I wanted to get a run into him this week somewhere because he’s in the Coral Gold Cup and it had to really be this week before you are getting too close,” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“A lot of mine have been needing the run and then he goes and does that and it’s terrific. Let’s hope now he’s OK in the morning.
“He was given the winter off and then did three months around the roads in the spring and early summer and there’s a lot of hard work gone into getting him back.
“We’ll see about the Coral Gold Cup and today now gives me the option (of going for that). The chase course will need an awful lot of rain between now and then, but at least I’ve got half a chance of getting him there now he’s had the run.”
Elsewhere on the card Paul Nicholls moved one closer to Martin Pipe’s record of British jumps winners when 5-4 favourite Wordfromhome obliged in division one of the British Horse Society Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Division two went the way of his nephew Harry Derham, whose 16-1 debutant Radiant Walk ran on strongly to deny Dan Skelton a double with 11-8 favourite Newgrove.
The champion trainer had earlier struck in the CSP Maiden Hurdle with 85-40 chance Presley, who could have a bright future.
Skelton told Sky Sports Racing: “He did a bit wrong on the way round and jumped the first very big – you probably don’t see one jump a hurdle that big.
“He jumped the third last big and left his backend in two out and it probably looked like the game was up for a second, but he must have a fair level of ability to power on.
“I wouldn’t say he underwhelmed in bumpers but bumpers were never his thing and he was a year too young as well, but he’s a fair horse. I said halfway round we’re wasting a year here, but maybe we won’t be wasting a year – he’s pretty smart.
“I think we’ll stick at two miles and let him learn and keep him sharp. A step up in trip will be no problem to him but maybe it will be the wrong thing to do short term.”