Breeder's delight as Larry survives illness and drama for Ascot big-race success

Recent London Gold Cup Chase winner Larry has come a long way since a life threatening condition as a foal, with the son of Midnight Legend following in several of his siblings' footsteps in making breeder Gilly Metherell proud.

The eight-year-old gelding's six-and-a-half length success in a dramatic race at Ascot was not the only time he had managed to overcome trouble, as Metherell referred to a condition that could have been fatal without veterinary intervention.

Cotley Hill Stud's owner explained: "I nearly lost Larry as a foal, he was born with a hole in his bladder and that was really dramatic as I said to the vet, 'Oh, I'll have to put him down', but she said take him to O'Gormans [vets] in Newbury.

"We then rushed him off with the mare in the trailer during the night, and they sewed up his bladder and look what's happened since! It was worth it, wasn't it?"

It certainly was.

Thanks to the team at O'Gormans and quick thinking from Metherell's vet, Larry was able to become a six-time winner and counting for Gary Moore and owners Galloping On The South Downs Partnership, with his most recent and significant win supplemented by two more chase scores, two hurdle strikes and a bumper success from 21 starts overall.

Metherell, who set up Cotley Hill on Salisbury Plain in 2004, has been involved with horses all her life. Larry's dam, Gaspaisie, a daughter of Beyssac, won over both hurdles and fences at Auteuil in the late 90s.

Formerly with Jean-Pierre Dubois, she is the dam of five winners including Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle scorer Mr Thriller and the diminutive Imperial Cup and Fred Winter winner Gaspara.

Larry is a half-brother to Imperial Cup winner GasparaCredit: Edward Whitaker

Metherell continued: "I gave up breeding except from his dam. I've had several broodmares over the years but there's just no point breeding from anything other than good quality broodmares is there?

"Gaspaisie is retired now but of her last two foals by Kayf Tara, one I've got and the other is in training with Fergal O'Brien. Gastara was with Johnny Farrelly but will now be trained by Richard Hawker.

"I was very fortunate in that I went to France to buy her before Martin Pipe bought Gaspara, who went on to win the Imperial Cup and Fred Winter."

On how she came to acquire Gaspaisie, Metherell added: "My vet, who has always been interested in racing and has got broodmares of her own, had stood Septieme Ciel, the sire of two of Gaspaisie's offspring, and owns one as a broodmare.

"She said to me that there are good options to buy broodmares in France; at the time the guys [David and Trish Smyly] who'd helped me buy broodmares in the UK had moved to France, and so I went over on the Eurostar to Saint-Cloud and we bought her in-foal to what would be The Tracey Shuffle."

Metherell is keen on being kept informed about all of the foals she has bred, having bred and sold the likes of three-time winner The Tracey Shuffle and Larry's full-brother, the dual scorer Chain Gang.

She said: "I know where all of these horses are fortunately, as I've tracked them all down. I like to keep in touch with anything I've bred and make sure everything's okay."

As far as Gaspaisie's latest star progeny is concerned, everything is as happy as Larry.

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