Cotswold Chase: Ahoy Senor wins dramatic renewal of Cheltenham Grade Two with Protektorat only fourth | Racing News

Ahoy Senor roared back to form with victory in an eventful renewal of the Grade Two Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Runner-up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on his only previous visit to Prestbury Park, the eight-year-old had struggled this season in open company and was winning for the first time since taking the Mildmay Novices’ Chase four starts ago.

Derek Fox was content to track Bryony Frost and Frodon on the first circuit and although Sounds Russian shot clear during the second lap of the New Course, a juddering error from Ruth Jefferson’s charge four from home gave the pack chance to close the gap and most crucially Ahoy Senor the opportunity to ensure an all-northern finish to this Grade Two contest.

Neck and neck jumping the last, the duo were soon embroiled in a terrific tussle up the Cheltenham hill with Ahoy Senor prevailing by one and a half lengths and Grand National hero Noble Yeats a further length back in third.

Betfair went 10/1 from 50s for the blue riband in March, while Coral offer slightly bigger odds of 12/1.

Winning trainer Lucinda Russell said: “I’m really pleased. It is just the excitement of having a horse of that quality again. He’s always been good, but he just had to learn about it and today I think he just came of age.

“In my mind, I thought he was going to take a lead and when he came into the paddock, Derek said I’m just going to go forward, and I thought ‘great’, and actually he was right, because it let him get his freshness out of him and then let Frodon give him a lead.

“I’m just pleased with him as I thought his jumping was OK and when he came round that bottom corner and accelerated, I did get a bit excited.

“I really hope he’ll go to the Gold Cup. Whatever happens, he will definitely get an entry.”

The Kinross-based trainer lost her father this week and spoke poignantly in the winner’s enclosure at how much Ahoy Senor had meant to him.

“It is very emotional. My dad was a fantastic person and he was so proud. He’d been ill for a year, I remember being in tears at Newbury when he [Ahoy Senor] won the John Francome Novices’ Chase,” she said. “It was good in a way, because I spent a year saying thank you to dad and I appreciated him.

“As he went on in his life, racing meant more to him. He’d talk to me about which races we were going to and he’d phone me before the race and after the races and I will miss that intensely. This horse, he was interested in and loved and really wanted him to do well.

“Dad ran down a bit. We had two winners at Kelso and he was a little bit frailer at that point and he only went to hospital for 24 hours.

“To everyone, just say thank you to your dad, just tell them how much they mean to you, because I had the chance to do that. Say thank you. It was Dad that set me up, Dad that has given me that desire, that determination. He’d be very proud today and I’m really going to miss not phoning him on the way home.”

Editeur Du Gite beats Edwardstone in Clarence House thriller

Editeur Du Gite and Edwardstone served up a thriller in the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase with Niall Houlihan on the former getting the better of a photo finish.

Gary Moore’s 14/1 shot set the pace out in front in the rearranged Grade One contest, with Amarillo Sky joining him in the early exchanges.

Champion Chase star Energumene, who was beaten in an epic race by Shishkin last year at Ascot, stalked the pace under Paul Townend and delivered his challenge before the last.

Tom Cannon on Edwardstone, the 2022 Arkle and Tingle Creek winner, came from the rear and was the widest of the three at the last, picking up and heading the eventual winner in the final furlong.

Energumene’s chances of victory were burst with a last flight error, staying on for a distant third in the end.

Meanwhile up ahead, Houlihan and Editeur Du Gite rallied on the run-in to get back past Edwardstone and claim a famous victory for the Moore team.

Sky Bet reacted by easing Energumene to 6/4 from 4/6 for the Champion Chase in March, while Edwardstone shortened to 7/4 (from 9/4) and Editeur Du Gite was cut to 9/2 (from 16s).