It was a clean sweep for Irish pointing graduates in the big race of the day, the Grade 3 Betdaq Chase at Kempton Park on Saturday, with Master Dee leading home the domination for the Fergal O’Brien team.
A four-year-old maiden winner at Bartlemy in 2013 when under the care of Colin Bowe after which he was sold for £75,000 at the Cheltenham May sale, the Bernard Kavanagh-bred gelding has more than repaid the price his new owners Paul and Clare Rooney paid to acquire him, with his seventh track success bringing his career earnings close to the €150,000 mark.
Dropped in towards the tail of the field, the now nine-year-old grabbed the initiative with a good jump at the last, and soon bounded clear in the hands of Barry Geraghty to prevail by three and three-quarter lengths.
Loughanmore-third Ballykan finished second with the Ballindenisk winning mare, Theatre Territory, gaining further valuable black type by coming home in third in the Grade 3 £100,000 contest.
Ridden patiently, Master Dee lands the £100,000 @BETDAQ Chase for @FOBRacing and @BarryJGeraghty, denying his former boss Nigel Twiston-Davies and Ballykan.
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) February 24, 2018
Watch the full replay on the Racing UK website %u27A1 https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/vKhS7ScUdn
Earlier in the afternoon on the Kempton card, Global Citizen claimed the scalps of some highly rated flat recruits with an impressive display to claim the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle for Ben Pauling.
A first-time-out winner of his five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Bellurgan Park last season when under the care of Willie Murphy, the Alkhaadhem topped the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham April sale when changing hands for £275,000.
Having had three initial track outings for Jonjo O’Neill, the now six-year-old joined the Ben Pauling team, and Saturday’s 9-length success marked a second consecutive victory since moving to Pauling’s Gloucester yard.
Always to the fore in the 2-mile contest, Global Citizen eased clear from the third-last in the hands of Daryl Jacob, and such was his commanding advantage on the run-in, he could be eased down close home and still return with nine lengths to spare over the Group 3 September Stakes runner-up Scarlet Dragon.
“There wasn’t a lot not to like about it, we were very pleased with him. We didn’t necessarily want to make the running with him, but I said to Daryl (Jacob) that it needs to be a good strong pace, so he tried to take a lead of the Nicholls horse but very quickly jumped his way to the front and then made his own way home from there – it was good.
“I knew a mark of 130 was very much on the generous side so my first thoughts were the Imperial Cup, but then I thought I would chuck him in here and see what the entries were like. There was nothing particularly terrifying in this, so we’ve ended up here. It is probably unlikely that we will end up going for the Imperial Cup now.
“I think he needs to be treated like a good horse, so unless he comes out of his box kicking and squealing tomorrow, I think it is unlikely he will go for the
“He has very little racing – one point-to-point, one bumper and now that is his fourth hurdle – but he looks to have a lot of talent,” reported a delighted Pauling.
In the lead from the third flight, Global Citizen never saw another rival from that point and hammers his rivals in the Dovecote for @benpauling1 and @Dazjacob10 #impressive
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) February 24, 2018
Today's results & replays %u27A1 https://t.co/7iJOPsvjqx pic.twitter.com/JCEUgL8ObC
