Nemean Lion refuses to be denied in National Spirit

Nemean Lion finished with a flourish to emerge victorious in a thrilling renewal of the Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.

Kerry Lee’s stable star was on a hat-trick in the Grade Two contest, having followed up a handicap win at Hereford in December with a narrow victory over the reopposing Salver in a valuable conditions event at Windsor last month.

Salver was the 13-8 favourite to turn the tables, with Nemean Lion a 2-1 shot in a field of five.

Salver pressed Steel Ally for the lead in the early stages of the two-mile-three-furlong contest, but the latter was allowed to stride on heading out for the second circuit and looked to have both the market leader and Nemean Lion in trouble as he turned for home in front.

However, Richard Patrick conjured a late rattle out of the tough-as-teak Nemean Lion, who dug deep with the benefit of the rail after the final flight to get up and beat the gallant Steel Ally by a neck. Salver was a further eight lengths behind in third.

Nemean Lion was winning at Grade Two level for a second time, having landed the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton 12 months ago.

Sponsors Paddy Power trimmed his odds for the Stayers’ Hurdle to 20-1 from 25-1, but Lee is in no rush to decide whether he will line up at the Cheltenham Festival.

She said: “I’m really delighted – what a tenacious, gutsy horse he is. He seems to go on that (testing) ground so well and he’s that little bit older and stronger than the second and third horses.

“I think we’ll leave all the options open for a couple of weeks and make a plan in roughly a fortnight.

“He’s had a hard race today and it would be greedy almost to nail our colours to the Stayers’ Hurdle and there are plenty of options. At Aintree you’ve got the two-and-a-half and the three-mile races and if you look further afield there are options in Ireland and France.

“I’d be looking to broaden the catchment area a little bit and see what we can find. There’s a nice Grade Two at Fairyhouse at their April Festival.”

Nemean Lion has not yet tackled the three-mile distance of the Stayers’ Hurdle, but Lee does not believe it would be a problem, adding: “We’re incredibly lucky to have such a versatile horse. A year ago he was winning the Kingwell over two miles and he’s won three races this season over two and a half and he wasn’t stopping today over two and a half on very soft ground.

“I know Fontwell isn’t a stiff track by any stretch, but there is still an incline coming home, so I was really impressed with that.”