Big dreams for Bass Hunter after Ascot bumper triumph

Chris Gordon labelled Bass Hunter a “fair old beast” after he enhanced his reputation with a dominant front-running victory at Ascot on Friday.

The Irish point-to-point winner created a big impression when making a winning start to his career under rules in a Newbury bumper in early November and he was a 7-5 favourite for what looked a strong edition of the King Edward VII Ascot Membership Open National Hunt Flat Race, with another nine bumper winners among his 14 rivals.

The trainer’s son Freddie Gordon was positive in the saddle from the outset, sending Bass Hunter straight to the front and he had built up a significant lead over the chasing pack by the time he rounded the home turn.

He began to get lonely inside the final furlong, but the Listed prize was in safe keeping by that stage and he was value for more than the winning margin of a length over the fast-finishing Tally Ho Back.

“He’s a fair old beast! He’s just got to learn to settle in his races a bit,” said his trainer.

“It was a great performance, but he was slightly running on his nerves. He’s still gone and won which is great, but I think he’s got the makings of a very, very good horse and for him to become a very good horse he’s got learn to settle a bit.

“I’ve been training for 18 years and at this precise moment he’s the best horse I’ve ever had, that’s for sure, but for him to be the complete horse he’s got to learn to settle.”

Paddy Power cut Bass Hunter’s odds for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival to 12-1 from 25-1 and a trip to Prestbury Park in March could now be on the agenda.

Gordon added: “He’s a big shell of a horse at the moment, that’s why I’ve gone the bumper route with him and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards.

“We’ll either go straight to Cheltenham or straight to Aintree, one or the other. Cheltenham is at the forefront of our minds, but we’ve got a bit of time to think about it and as a trainer my job now is to teach him to settle – as a trainer, that is where hopefully my expertise will come into play!”

Ben Pauling saddled a double on the card courtesy of victories for Vanderpoel and Whatsupwithyou.

Hopes were high for Vanderpoel after he won two of his three hurdling starts last season, but while placed on his first couple of chase outings, he was well beaten on both occasions.

He was a 5-1 shot to make it third time lucky over fences in the Howden Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and quickened up smartly under Ben Jones to secure a seven-length success over Stencil.

Whatsupwithyou was a 14-1 winner of the Howden Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Elliott England, while Nicky Henderson’s Crystal Island overcame clear signs of inexperience to make a winning debut under rules in the Howden Maiden Hurdle.

Bought for £205,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, the four-year-old was the 3-1 favourite on his first start for the Seven Barrows team and while he was on and off the bridle throughout and hung left on the run-in, it is testament to his ability that he still managed to win by four lengths under Nico de Boinville.

“He’s still a big baby and there’s a lot of progression to come, but what I liked about him was that when he’s got to the front he was slightly waiting for the other horses but he’s found his stride and jumped well,” the jockey told Sky Sports Racing.

“I just had to give him a chance and let him find his feet and not put the pressure on too early. I was surprised how when he was coming up the hill he latched onto the bridle again.”

Dance And Glance, trained by Anthony Honeyball and ridden by Rex Dingle, landed the Ascot Shop Handicap Hurdle as the 5-2 joint-favourite.