Cue Card Triumphs over Silviniaco Conti in the Betfair Chase
The highlight of this weekend’s racing came at the Betfair Chase at Haydock, where Cue Card held off last year’s winner Silviniaco Conti to win the race for a second time.
The 7/4 second-favourite won here back in 2013, but then suffered pelvic problems following that victory. After coming back to win the Charlie Hall Chase last month, the nine-year-old has now landed two impressive wins, signalling a real return to form.
Jockey Paddy Brennan dedicated the success to the people who lost their lives in the Paris attacks last week, while also raving about Cue Card’s return to his peak. “The way he rode today he felt like a Gold Cup horse,” jockey Paddy Brennan told Channel 4, hinting the horse might be entered for a go at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. “It was unbelievable.”
Comebacks have been a theme of the jumps season so far, and a repeat victory for the 2013 winner continued that. 5/4 favourite Silviniaco Conti had led for most of the way, but after Brennan got his horse back level, they moved up a gear to go on and take victory by seven lengths.
The Colin Tizzard trained horse wound land a £1 million bonus if he could recreate these performances again and land wins in both the King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup. The King George is shaping up to be quite the battle on Boxing Day, with Ascot winner Vautour joining both Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti at the meeting. With Gold Cup winner Coneygree also possibly running, that could well a festive highlight for many.
Elsewhere, away from the track, AP McCoy’s documentary “Being AP” came out this week, and it’s looking like he has another winner on his hands. Plenty seem to be enjoying the story of the racing legend’s career, which saw him land over 4,000 winners.
