THE SHOWCAS E 23-24 OCTOBER 2020
I WAS PROBABLY IN FRONT A TOUCH LONGER THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED BUT I AM JUST DELIGHTED TO WIN Tom Cannon after winning on The Condi t ional
Festival early on in the season was Harry Whittington-trained Saint Calvados. The popular chaser justified favouritism under Gavin Sheehan and held off his rivals by a length. Fast forward five months, and the seven-year-old gelding was beaten by a neck in the Grade One Ryanair Chase on Day Three of The Festival by the Willie Mullins-trained Min. The Showcase welcomes Jump racing back to its spiritual home with open arms, and although you may not be able to see the biggest names on show in person, you are sure to be able to mark your card with eye-catching performances ahead of the season with live coverage on ITV Racing.
Tom said: “It’s tough going. We are splashing through a lot of water and it’s obviously on the heavy side. I got a great ride from The Conditional and he handled the conditions. He jumped well and it was one of those races when everything went right from start to finish. “David Bridgwater told me not to be in front too soon and I was probably in front a touch longer than I would have liked but I am just delighted to win. It’s not often that I get a chance on a day like this and it is great.” The Conditional went on to enjoy success at The Festival™ under Brendan Powell in the Ultima Handicap Chase, giving David his first success as a trainer at The Festival. Another to lay his cards out for The
both of them it’s a long way home, the ground will be testing, just ride the finish – and that’s what he’s done.” The locals had more to cheer about on the opening day as promising Novice Chaser Al Dancer lived up to his hurdling hype for father-son duo Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies. The Novice Chaser went off as the 10/11 favourite in the squareintheair.com Novice Chase and looked a very promising type over fences. The rain didn’t stop play on day two of The Showcase, with seven quality races on the track. The Conditional defied the odds and held off 4/1 favourite West Approach in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Chase under Tom Cannon for trainer David Bridgwater.
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