Caoilin Quinn 'speechless' as Botox Has digs deep to provide conditional rider with his biggest win at Wetherby

Botox Has left Caoilin Quinn "speechless" after battling to victory in the bet365 Hurdle to give his jockey a first Grade 2 success.

He had also given the conditional his biggest previous win in a valuable handicap at Haydock and achieved this latest triumph despite his rider being unable to claim his 5lb allowance.

"He's unbelievable," the jockey said. "I'm speechless to be honest. What a performance that is. He was giving weight away to a lot of them.

"The one thing he has on his side is he's very tough. When push comes to shove he digs deep. 

"I don't think he enjoyed the ground today, he didn't travel as well as he did when I rode him at Haydock, but he's all guts."

Botox Has was running for the first time in 280 days and Quinn was full of praise for his trainer Gary Moore.

"It's an unbelievable training performance," he said. "He's an absolute genius. This horse has had his problems. He had a little niggly problem hence he didn't go to the Cheltenham Festival last season and he's been off ever since, but he's got him back as good as ever and I'm very grateful."

Wonderful Well

Last season's Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner You Wear It Well was cut in price to make a winning return to Cheltenham in March after defying a penalty for that festival success.

She was made an 8-1 chance (from 12-1) for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle by Paddy Power following her reappearance victory in the bet365 Mares' Hurdle under Gavin Sheehan.

You Wear It Well (right) defies a penalty under Gavin SheehanCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"That was very special," said winning trainer Jamie Snowden. "To do that with a penalty is great first time out.

"We were thinking about going chasing this year but the mares' hurdle programme is a lot better than the mares' chase programme and we're quite keen to stay in mares' company.

"You've got the Listed races at Sandown and Warwick and then Cheltenham in March and that looks the obvious thing to do, but we'll take it step by step."

Huge team effort

No runner on the card showed more dogged determination and will to win than the groundstaff team, whose non-stop efforts helped ensure that Wetherby's most prestigious meeting went ahead.

The standing water which caused Friday's card to be abandoned had receded enough by 7am for racing to be given the go-ahead, although the middle hurdle in the back straight was omitted.

Jonjo Sanderson: "It was a great effort by everyone"Credit: David Carr

"It was improving when I left at around 6.30pm yesterday, but then I was watching the ITV Breeders' Cup coverage from Wetherby last night and felt I had to go back at 10pm and check," said clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson.

"I wasn't happy then, as I thought it was still in the balance, but it had improved again when I returned at 5.45am today. It was a great effort by everyone, particularly as they were all working hard anyway because it's our big meeting."

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