Trelawne sees off Iroko in Haydock thriller
The Andoversford handler has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds Trelawne, who was last seen suffering a heavy early fall as a leading fancy for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, a race won by his stablemate Chianti Classico.
While Bailey revealed his eight-year-old’s confidence was knocked by that spill, there was no sign of it on Merseyside as he travelled and jumped with elan on the front end under Tom Bailey.
Jonjo O’Neill jnr attempted to play his cards late aboard the similarly promising 11-8 favourite Iroko, who drew alongside 7-2 shot Trelawne on the run-in, but the latter refused to yield and passed the post half a length to the good.
“I was delighted with him, we’ve been praying for the rain for a long time. Yes we’ve had our issues, but he’s a very talented individual and he was a grown up horse today,” said Bailey.
“He’s always had the talent and I just think he’s that year older. That fall at Cheltenham frightened him and he was a very sore horse for a long time afterwards, so we gave him a long time to get over it and I just feel he’s come back a different horse from the summer.
“He’s worked well and done everything right. He went to Cheltenham with a great chance, I hated having two runners in the race and when this horse fell I’m afraid I didn’t see the other horse do a whole circuit as I was watching him. I love him.”
Considering future plans, the trainer added: “This horse has to have soft ground and there’s a big race in him somewhere along the way.
“I think the Cotswold Chase (at Cheltenham in January) would suit him really well, but we’ve got a long way to go yet. He was only rated 144 today, the handicapper will have a few words to say after today, but he’s a progressive horse.
“He’s got a few quirks, but that’s why he’s a good horse.”