NICHOLLS: ‘I’VE HAD A GREAT DAY’
Ibis Du Rheu, a 14/1 shot, gave Paul Nicholls a second winner of The Festival 2016 in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, taking the race by a length and a quarter under Jack Sherwood, for whom this was a first Festival triumph.
Nicholls said: “I’m really thrilled for Jack. He’s had a hard old time of it; I kept saying to him this past fortnight, ‘you’ve got a nice ride at Cheltenham’. I didn’t really imagine he’d win, but he gave him a good ride and it was good for him
“We’ve always liked the horse, he’s just been a bit slow to come to hand. A bit like [Ibis Du Rheu’s half-brother] Saphir Du Rheu, he’s big and backward. He’ll make a good three-mile chaser in time – he obviously stays forever.
“I’ve had a great day with Victoria [Pendleton, who rode the Nicholls-trained Pacha Du Polder in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase], my two (former) assistants [Dan Skelton and Harry Fry] training winners, and Jack having a winner. Forget me, I’ve had a lot of pleasure out of these lads today. It’s been an awesome day.”
He continued: “Victoria gave Pacha Du Polder a beautiful ride in the circumstances, and the crowd… It was so good for everyone today.”
1) Ibis Du Rheu (John Hales) Paul Nicholls 5-11-07 Jack Sherwood 14/1
2) Flying Angel (R J Rexton) Nigel Twiston-Davies 5-11-06 Ryan Hatch 8/1
3) Sky Khan (The Ormello Way) Lucinda Russell 7-11-03 Derek Fox 50/1
4) Tully East (Barry Connell) Alan Fleming IRE 6-11-08 Shane Shortall 50/1
Distances: 1.25, 1.25, 6.
39th win at The Festival for trainer Paul Nicholls
1st win at The Festival for jockey Jack Sherwood
THE BETBRIGHT CUP – GREAT BRITAIN – 13 IRELAND – 14
SHERWOOD HAS DREAM RUN
Jack Sherwood admitted that after getting injured early this season he considered throwing in the towel and doing something else.
But he was pleased he stayed in the saddle after Ibus Du Rheu came home in front in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, his first winner at the Fesival.
Sherwood who is the son of Simon, who famously rode Desert Orchid to victory in the 1989 Gold Cup before Jack was born, but the jockey jokes: “Obviously, I’ve seen the replay loads of times!”
Sherwood, who broke his arm at Fakenham earlier in the season and had his first ride back on Boxing Day, said:”I was half thinking I would do something else, because I had 40 winners last season with some big Saturday winners and it just wasn’t getting going again. I just loved it too much to do that so I just stuck at it and now I can’t believe it. I’m just speechless.”
When asked if his father was here he said: “No, he’s in Sri Lanka! He’s clerk of the course at Ludlow, there’s no racing there until next week so he took a two-week break. I rode a winner for Paul at the Hennessy meeting and he wasn’t there then, so when he doesn’t come, it seems to do well!
“I’ve had seconds and third here but to have a winner at The Festival – there is no feeling like it.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies was pleased with last week’s Imperial Cup winner Flying Angel who finished second. The local trainer said: “Yes I’m delighted, he had a hard race last weekend at Sandown. We always thought we would win, but we didn’t so there we are.”
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The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle was introduced to the festival in 2009 so we only have a five year sample to look at. There does already appear to be a few patterns emerging which can help us narrow the field and pick out the winner.
Last years field was made up of horses with Official Ratings between 132 and 145.
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle Stats
- All 5 winners carried 11-2 or more (OR between 133 and 143)
- Fate of the Favourite 3 7 1 9 P –
- Market Position of the Winner 0 5 1 0 8 6
- Six year olds have won 4 out of 5
- Second season hurdlers have won all 5 races
- Respect Gigginstown House Stud owned runners ( Finished 1st in 2011 and 2014, 2nd and 4th in 2012, 4th in 2013)
- David Pipe has saddled three favourites but has yet to win the race ( only 1 of his 15 runners have been placed)
- Nicky Henderson’s best placed horse has finished 1 2 3 3 8 5
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle winners 2009-2014
2015 Martin Pipe Hurdle Odds
Cheltenham Festival Race Stats and Trends
