Gemirande dug deep to give Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch another big Saturday success in the Nyetimber December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The eight-year-old was prominent throughout the £125,000 contest, but looked set to face a major threat from Madara when that rival came through to challenge over the final two fences.
However, Gemirande (11/2) jumped both of those obstacles efficiently and found just that little bit more up the hill to prevail by a length.
Last year’s winner Fugitif put up a solid defence of his title but had to settle for third place this time, a further seven-and-a-half lengths back.
Deutsch said: “I’ve grown to love this horse, he’s quite a character and his jumping was electric.
“I’m chuffed for him to get his head in front, he loves racing and is really enthusiastic. His jumping is so quick, he is quite a keen-going sort, so I was conscious we needed a breather on the way round.
“I felt I had a little bit there [at the last], it was just whether Madara would have a bit more, but he’s really game and he tries.
“He’s definitely got better with age, he was struggling to finish his races earlier in his career. It’s nice that he’s getting there now. Venetia is a magician with what she does with these horses.”
Recent big wins for the trainer-jockey combination have included Royale Pagaille and Djelo, and Deutsch added: “I’m really enjoying it, I’m confident and I know how Venetia works now. I have so much confidence in her and her horses.”
On her hot streak, Williams said: “It’s been amazing. You always look at the big races that are on offer and see if you’ve got something for them.
“I wanted to run this horse in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but he was out of the weights, so we went to Ascot instead. The way he quickened from the last to the line at Ascot, I haven’t seen that for a long time. I was so impressed and I thought we’ve definitely got to come here for this.
“Charlie wasn’t quite sure how he was going to do the weight (10st 2lb) and I didn’t know what he was going to amputate! Yesterday, I think he was 10st 7lb and he said ‘I’ll do the weight’. He could have gone for a couple of easier weight options at Doncaster, but he was very keen to come and ride him.
“He’s a big guy, he’s got big shoulders and he hasn’t done 10st 2lb for a while. I think he’s an outstanding jockey.
“Last season wasn’t really a full season at all for the horse. He got a really nasty overreach which took ages to get on top of, so last season didn’t really count.
“We don’t do long-term targets, this was a good enough one.”
Williams could be double-handed when seeking another major triumph in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
She added: “Hopefully we’ll run both L’Homme Presse and Royale Pagaille in the King George. L’Homme Presse worked this morning and that’s the plan at the moment.”
Bowen brothers share spoils in Triumph Trial thriller
There was a thrilling finish to the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham as Bowen brothers James and Sean shared the spoils via a dead-heat between Quantock Hills and Teriferma.
James looked to have claimed a decisive advantage when the Warren Greatrex-trained Quantock Hills (11/2) produced a fine leap at the final flight to forge clear.
However, Sean conjured up a late charge from 18/1 shot Teriferma to draw level right on the line, giving Jack Jones a second straight success in this race following An Bradan Feasa’s victory last year.
James and Sean Bowen following their dead-heat
Irish raider Total Look paid the price for a couple of costly jumping errors in the latter stages and was a neck back in third as the 11/8 favourite.
Greatrex said: “It’s a bit of a family affair for the Bowens, and our fellow is a lovely horse. He never ran on the Flat and he’s just inexperienced really. He travelled through the race very well and I think he’s got a very bright future.
“He just wandered when he hit the front – it’s a big place when you come here for the first time.
“I thought we’d won initially and then I thought we were beat. He was on his own so he had nothing to run with, but he’s a good horse, I’d say.
“He could be a horse for the Boodles (Juvenile Handicap Hurdle). I think he’ll be better on softer ground, he looked the winner from a long way out and we’ve just got there a bit too soon really, I suppose.”
He added: “That’s two runners and two winners at Cheltenham this season for us now – I might not come back! Obviously, what happened to Abuffalosoldier at the last meeting was very sad, but he won and showed everyone what he could do that day. It’s part of the job unfortunately.”
Jones said: “Very happy, it’s a bit of a strange feeling having a dead-heat, but I suppose it’s a winner, isn’t it?
“It was very pleasing. I think if he’d finished second, if he’d dead-heated or if he’d won outright, he was probably the one to take out of the race from where we were and how we hit the line.
“It’s funny because we actually underbid on Quantock Hills in France, which is very strange, and for the two Bowen boys to be dead-heating as well.
“We’ve had our horse two or three months now and he’s been very straightforward. We won this race last year with An Bradan Feasa, who would be a bit more of a thinker I suppose, whereas this lad is a gent.
“Sean said he jumped a bit big and we were slightly on the back foot. He missed three out and was a bit further back than ideal due to his jumping, but the way he’s finished, you’d rather be coming up that hill than slowing up and I’m delighted.
“I thought we were massively overpriced. He’d won two hurdle races and finished second with a big weight, so I don’t know how we’ve gone off at 18/1.
“I thought this lad was a better horse than the lad last year, his schooling had been good and there was no reason why he wasn’t going to be a good horse.
“The Boodles would be a logical step. When Willie Mullins unleashes his juveniles, we’ll probably leave that race [Triumph Hurdle] to them.”
Haiti Couleurs looks good for Rebecca Curtis
Rebecca Curtis looks to have unearthed a horse who could send her back to the big time after Haiti Couleurs put up a fine display at Cheltenham.
The Welsh trainer is no stranger to success in the Cotswolds, having enjoyed Festival glory with the likes of Teaforthree, At Fishers Cross and Stayers’ Hurdle hero Lisnagar Oscar.
However, it has been a while between drinks for Curtis, with the latter’s shock win four-and-a-half years ago her most recent at graded level.
A dual winner over hurdles at the end of last season, Haiti Couleurs finished second on his chasing debut at Chepstow in October before going one better in some style at Aintree last month.
He was a 4/1 shot to follow up in the Josh Wyke Birthday Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and jumped accurately throughout under title-chasing Sean Bowen before digging deep in the home straight to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths.
The staying-on Transmission pipped the 11/8 favourite Peaky Boy to second.
“He just keeps improving this horse. He obviously had a nice novice season [over hurdles] last season, but he struck into himself quite badly the year before and he actually he missed a full year, so he’s still slightly backward for his age,” said Curtis.
“With racing he keeps improving and I don’t know where he’ll end up really. I really fancied him for the National Hunt Chase because he stays all day, but Sean said he’s improved that much since his Aintree win you wouldn’t know if he’ll end up in the Brown Advisory.
“It’s nice to be back here. We’re getting those types of horses again which will hopefully keep us on the map anyway.”
Glory day for Lucy Wadham
Game On For Glory toughed out victory in the Quintessentially Mares’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
Lucy Wadham’s charge had twice run well in defeat at the track, finishing second in a bumper in 2021 and in the Grade Two Mares’ Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase Final last spring.
Game On For Glory
Having blown away any cobwebs when finishing fourth on her reappearance at Market Rasen in October, the eight-year-old was sent off at 22/1 under champion jockey Harry Cobden and dug deep on the run-in to score by a length and three-quarters from So Said I.
Wadham said: “She ran very well here in the spring and had a great start to the season when running very well at Market Rasen.
“We’ve been a bit held up since, so we just waited for this race and she did it nicely.
“She’s tough and knows how to win. This was the target, she might come back here in April, but I don’t know what we’ll do in between yet.
“We had a rubbish day yesterday – we had four runners and they all finished nearly last. Today we’ve had a winner at Doncaster and now a winner here – you can’t make it up, can you? It’s a funny old game.”