Three Weekend Eye-Catchers - 19/11/2018

Kayley Woollacott’s Lalor won the Arkle Trophy Trial at Cheltenham on Sunday to make him a real player in the Arkle next March on what was his Chase debut. If he were to win that race it would be an emotional victory for all involved. Wollacott is the widow of Richard, the late trainer was found dead at this yard last January.

Wollacott stated yesterday that Lalor was her husband’s favourite horse and the manner of his victory yesterday indicates he is a real player come the festival.

He showed why he won a Grade 1 at Aintree in April with a faultless display of jumping before pulling away from some decent horses to win by seven lengths with ease.

With many of the principals falling in the BetVictor Gold Cup it was Gary Moore’s Baron Alco who took the spoils. The horse stayed on resolutely to beat Frodon by two lengths and return at odds of 8/1.

The race was full of incident with no less than twelve of the eighteen runners failing to finish. This included the well fancied Rather Be, West Approach and Kalondra.

There would have been mixed emotions for Josh Moore, he had to be replaced at the last minute by his brother Jamie aboard the winner. According to his trainer, the next stop for Baron Alco will be the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December.

Ian Williams and five-year-old bagged the biggest win of his short career in the shape of the Regulatory Finance Solutions Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) on Saturday and their horse is rapidly progressing.

After winning a twenty-runner handicap last time out he took this step-up in class in his stride. The winning margin was nine lengths and in truth it could have more.

That fourth win in seven runs and his form at the back end of last year also indicates Graded victories are within his capabilities. This was Tom O’Brien’s ninth win in forty runs and he has had a fine start to the season.