Jig’s Forge too good for Lucky Place in Newbury match

Only two went to post for the Hoorrrraaaayyyy It’s Christmas Queens Arms “Chasing Excellence” Beginners’ Chase at Newbury and it was the outsider of the pair Jig’s Forge who got the better of Lucky Place.

With a yawning 20lb between them on hurdling marks, Nicky Henderson’s Lucky Place was understandably favoured in the market at odds of 4-9, having won the Ascot Hurdle and the Relkeel at Cheltenham this time last year.

He had been well beaten on his chasing debut, but was expected to improve markedly with that experience under his belt. However, while he did not make any serious mistakes, it would be hard to say he looked a natural.

Ben Pauling’s Jig’s Forge, on the other hand, jumped with alacrity in front and never at any stage looked like being caught.

Jones, riding with the confidence of a man that comes with the volume of winners he is partnering currently, always looked to have Nico de Boinville’s measure and the 4-9 favourite was beaten a length and a half.

Pauling – who started his career as assistant to Henderson at Seven Barrows – said: “He stays very well and he ran very well in the Albert Bartlett last season. His preparation for that was rubbish so it was no surprise he weakened at the end of it.

“We dropped him back to two and a half (miles) last time and he was a bit flat out, so back to three miles will be his future.

“His jumping is good and even when he’s not spot on he’s very quick in-and-out and I just think he has needed that. He hasn’t won for over a year since his first novice hurdle and he won’t want too much racing, so we’ll freshen him up now and probably not see him again until the end of January or early February.

“The Reynoldstown (at Ascot) might be something that would suit and feels about right to me.

“He’s on the cusp of being a graded horse and he probably doesn’t want to be going into open handicaps, while novice handicaps are pretty much gone by then, so we’ll give him an opportunity. By then it would be as hard to win a novice under a penalty as it would to go in a race like that.”

Meanwhile, Henderson was left to ponder if it was a couple of furlongs too far for Lucky Place.

Henderson said: “Nico thought he didn’t quite stay which is possible and he didn’t quite get three miles at Cheltenham, we know that.

“It’s another round of jumping banked, but Nico thought even the two-miles-six was testing him a bit.”