Konfusion takes another step forward with impressive Rehearsal win on dramatic day at Newcastle
Konfusion delivered the biggest win of his burgeoning career when he strolled to success in the BetMGM Rehearsal Handicap Chase at Newcastle on Saturday.
The seven-year-old was given an excellent ride by jockey Callum Bewley, who always had him handy and jumping nicely before the pair went clear up the home straight to record an impressive 15-length success. The win was the biggest so far for the in-form training partnership of Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith who collected nearly £40,000 for the impressive victory.
It made up for the disappointment of seven days earlier when the horse unseated Danny McMenamin at Haydock and backed the trainers’ judgement to turn the horse out again so quickly.
The 3-1 second favourite now looks set to head to Wetherby on Boxing Day for the Rowland Meyrick Chase and a delighted Parkinson, the grandson of Smith's husband Harvey, said: “This will be our biggest winner and he’s a lovely horse.
"The soft ground with the low weight really helped him.
“He jumps great but he tipped up at Haydock last week and if he hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here today.
“It’s a proper test today but we’ll head to Wetherby at Christmas now, that was the plan before today.”
Malton trainer Ruth Jefferson’s Gaelic Rover (3-1) was just denied in the opening BetMGM EBF 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle, after a thrilling battle up the run-in with eventual winner Le Beau Madrik (4-9 fav) who prevailed by a length for trainer Dan Skelton and his brother, jockey Harry.
At Doncaster, Fiona Needham’s Red Delta (9-4) and three-pound claimer Jack Andrews put up a brave fight down the home straight in the Aalberts IPS Pegler Valves Handicap Chase, before going down by half a length to Nicky Henderson’s Fierce Warrior (11-10 fav) ridden by Brian Hughes.
Moments earlier, Henderson had watched on in shock as his stable favourite Constitution Hill fell again in the dramatic renewal of the Grade One BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
Nico de Boinville bounced the former champion out in front and ironic cheers rang out from the crowd when he cleared the first hurdle perfectly.
However, Constitution Hill got no further than the next flight, stepping at it and coming down.
That left The New Lion in front, only for him to crash out at the second last and with Anzadam falling short, the current champion Golden Ace (22-1) took full advantage, bouncing back from her disappointing defeat at Wetherby.
When asked what will come next for his eight-times Grade One winner, the Seven Barrows handler replied: “A two-mile maiden on the Flat? Seriously, why not? I would think about it.
“It’s getting to something, let’s all think about it and let’s not be rash but it’s sad, it’s really sad. You can’t keep asking him to do it, it doesn’t seem fair on anybody. Poor Michael (Buckley, owner), I could cry for him.”