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Tidal Flow does his bit to bring up the century
What has already been a year to remember got even better for owners Garth and Anne Broom at Kempton on Monday, after Tidal Flow provided them with their 100th winner.
Having landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March with Native River, the husband and wife team, who operate under the name of Brocade Racing, celebrated a century of winners as the five-year-old claimed the One Stop, One Stelrad, Novices’ Hurdle by two lengths.
Broom said: “It’s lovely. We had our first winner in 2008 with Quinte Du Chatelet and that felt so wonderful – we just hoped for another afterwards.
“I suppose our first Cheltenham Festival winner, Golden Chieftain (JLT Specialty Handicap Chase), was special, as was winning the Midlands National with Master Overseer.
“Then there is the Hennessy and Welsh National with Native River. Each one is special – but I don’t think you can beat winning the Gold Cup.
Sarah Hobbs, wife of winning trainer, Philip, added of the 5-4 chance, who was ridden by Native River’s jockey Richard Johnson: “We’ve always liked him. He tries and is genuine. This trip (two-miles-five) is fine, but he will get three in the future.”
Bryony Frost enjoyed her finest hour at the Sunbury track in December when steering Black Corton to Grade One glory and the 23-year-old celebrated another landmark when riding out her claim aboard Marienstar (5-2) in the Weatherbys’ General Stud Book Mares’ Handicap Chase.
She said: “I’m a professional now. I’ve flown the nest. It’s now a bit of a daunting time, but I’ve got Paul Nicholls and Neil King behind me.
“When you have those teams behind you, they fill you with confidence.
“Driving up I was thinking ‘this is the place I’ve had some of the best days of my life’ and obviously Black Corton stands out.”
On the Neil King-trained 22-length winner, Frost said: “What a girl she is. The only worrying part was to try and get in front at the start. She jumped fence to fence.”
Plenty is likely to be heard about Epatante (8-15) over the coming months after the Grade One bumper winner initiated a treble for trainer Nicky Henderson – and double for Barry Geraghty – with a three-and-a-half-length victory in the Bet At racinguk.com Novices’ Hurdle.
Henderson said: “Her bumper form was very good. She is good and if it (Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) closed tomorrow, she would probably get an entry. She is a beautiful filly.”
The Seven Barrows handler heaped plenty of praise on the role conditional jockey Alan Doyle has had in aiding the progression of Kupatana (7-4) after the five-year-old mare ran out a five-length winner of the Stelrad Radiator Novices’ Handicap Chase.
He said: “She ran and won at Lingfield one day and didn’t stop – she did two laps of the all-weather at a hack canter, that’s why we had to lead her to the start.
“Alan Doyle has done everything on her and her head is in a good place. People like him are invaluable.”
Reigning Supreme (5-4) got his stop-start career back on track when accounting for his two rivals in the Follow At racing_uk On Twitter Now Beginners’ Chase by nine lengths, to complete Henderson’s treble and Geraghty’s brace.
Henderson said: “That would have done him the world of good. He got lost around Aintree and it happened too quick.
“I don’t think he will be getting any glamorous (ante-post) quotes. He might for the Plumpton National (Sussex National) in three years time!”
