Wales’ Gold Cup dream is alive and kicking.
Haiti Couleurs (photographed) remains firmly on course for a crack at steeplechasing’s showpiece at Cheltenham next month following a convincing victory at Newbury on Saturday.
The nine-year-old, trained in Pembrokeshire by Rebecca Curtis, put himself in the Gold Cup picture by carrying top weight to a superb success in the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow over the festive period.
On that occasion he was bouncing back to form having disappointed when fancied for the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock in November. Curtis later insisted that was not a true reflection of her stable star’s ability. And the weekend win – in the Grade 2 Denman Chase – proved that Haydock run to be all wrong.
Haiti Couleurs is now among a clutch of British-trained horses near the top of the Gold Cup market.
He made all the running at Newbury under champion jockey Sean Bowen. He possibly didn’t jump as fluently as he can – that could reasonably be put down to the heavy ground – but he had more than enough in reserve to pull well clear of his rivals in the home straight and leave the consistent L’Homme Presse seven lengths adrift at the line.
That was not the only Festival boost Wales received at the weekend, as there looks to be a live chance in the Arkle Chase on the opening day of the meeting with Steel Ally. Sam Thomas’ star took the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick to earn a crack at the two-mile championship for novice chasers. It was his second Graded success of the season, having won the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot before Christmas.
Steel Ally found too much in the home straight at Warwick to overhaul the front-running Mirabad and pull away decisively to score by a widening 10 lengths. It was his third win from as many starts this term.
But the race provided disappointment for Welsh jockey Ben Jones. His mount Mambonumberfive saw his Arkle hopes fade away somewhat as he jumped sketchily and finished a well-beaten last of three. There was consolation for Jones later on the card when he partnered Cornish Storm to win a two-mile handicap hurdle.
Back at Newbury, James Bowen was also on the scoresheet, taking the staying novices’ handicap chase on Holloway Queen, who looked to relish the stamina-sapping conditions.
And Evan Williams’ talented Libberty Hunter ran well to take third in the valuable Game Spirit Chase.
Tuesday’s meeting at Ffos Las fell victim to the heavy rain which has swept across the country in recent weeks. The track failed an inspection on Sunday morning. The decision was made after 34mm of rain in the past week left the course waterlogged. The next meeting at Ffos Las is on Friday 20th February – we then race on St David’s Day on Sunday 1st March.
