Webber eyes Grade 1s with his star mare Indefatigable

Daryl Jacob may have had fortune on his side in the Charlie Hall but there was no doubting the merit of his win on Indefatigable in the bet365 Hurdle.

His mount, fresh from victory on the Flat at Pontefract, scored a smooth success in a Grade 2 race best known as the West Yorkshire Hurdle and run on Paul Webber's lucky track.

The trainer has had numerous good winners on a course where he also had his only treble and was delighted with Indefatigable, saying: “It couldn’t have worked out any better."

Future plans depend on the weather and Webber said: "If it was dry she could go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle but she’s a mare and I must try to win a Grade 1 with her.

"It will probably be too wet by the Long Walk in December and the Ascot plan might be the Ascot Stakes in June. She just needs another run to get a handicap mark.

"She does thrive in the spring and summer. You could probably do the Mares' or the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, maybe Punchestown, then you've still got six weeks before Ascot.”

A potential switch to chasing appears to remain on hold for former Stayers' Hurdle winner Paisley Park, who could head to Newbury after finishing third here, staying on after losing his place before three out.

“He was a bit rusty," said jockey Aidan Coleman. "On his last two runs last year he was pulled up at Aintree and had a very hard race at Cheltenham and he was remembering that a bit.

"It was looking like it was going to be a disaster turning in but from the third last to the line he’s actually finished really strong. He's not the horse he’s been showing us at home at the moment but I think he’ll be back with that run under his belt and a better experience.”

Wishes come true

Dan Skelton had feared he might end up looking silly but Molly Ollys Wishes did not let him down.

The trainer knew he was taking a chance dropping the mare, who is a winner over three miles, back to two miles for the first time in more than a year in the Listed bet365 Mares’ Hurdle.

He need not have worried as the 3-1 favourite scored by a ready five and a half lengths. under the trainer’s brother Harry.

Explaining the change in distance, Dan Skelton said: “I just thought we’d try her over two because when I looked at the entries on Monday and saw that the West Yorkshire Hurdle was filling up and I feared she would have a really hard race in that first time out.

“Maybe she was better off over two and letting her roll on first time. It worked out really well and Harry gave her a great ride. Some days it works, other days you look silly dropping a horse back a full mile.”

Molly Ollys Wishes will now step back up in trip, in the long-term hope that she can emulate stablemate Roksana’s Grade 2 success at Ascot in January.

Outlining plans, Skelton said: “She was always going to go to Kempton on November 22 for a Listed race over three miles. I don’t see any reason to change.

“We’ve always hoped she could go down the Roksana route. It was a year too soon last year and it worked in her favour that Roksana was around.

“She’s now ready for it and I can imagine her going to Kempton; we might end up trying the Long Walk then the Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot is her Gold Cup.”

40-1 shock start

Wetherby’s most important day of the year began with a shock for most in the big crowd as outsider of the field Geryville made a winning British debut with an impressive success in the 2m3f chase.

Even trainer Micky Hammond admitted the 40-1 shot’s 12-length triumph under Alain Cawley was more than he had expected and he said: “We were just hoping for a nice run.

“The ground has been so firm he hasn’t been schooled over fences, he’s just been over French-style hurdles on the all-weather. He jumped a bit big early on but hopefully he can win again.

“He came over in June and we’ve always liked him. He was selected by Peter and Toby Jones who said he’d do well over here.”

Results, replays and analysis

The jumps season is here! Grab your copy of The Big Jump Off, our 72-page guide to the 2021-22 National Hunt season, from the Racing Post shop or from independent newsagents and many Co-Ops now. It contains a wealth of unbeatable content including ante-post tips, guest columnists, divisional analysis and much more. Don't miss out.