Cheltenham | Meetmebythesea a big winner for Devereux

Image © Healy Racing 

The Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase had notable Wexford connections, with Meetmebythesea triumphing in good style.

Bred by Maurice Day by the Moortown Stud’s stallion Watar, Meetmebythesea had made his debut at Monksgrange for Tacumshane handler Vinnie Devereux.

Despite being one of the outsiders in the field for the heavy ground four-year-old maiden, he only found one rival too good, when keeping on from off the pace to chase home He Can’t Dance.

That form has plenty of Cheltenham Festival connections, as his Monksgrange conqueror is a reserve for Friday’s Martin Pipe Hurdle, having finished third at the Dublin Racing Festival, whilst the fourth horse, Klimt Madrik, was only beaten by six lengths in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle 24 hours earlier.

Meetmebythesea was sold privately to Ben Pauling and JP McManus for whom he was recording a sixth career success with his four and three quarter length victory over Gold Dancer. 

Ben Pauling, who trains the winner from his base at nearby Naunton, said: “JP (McManus) is a huge supporter of the industry, he’s a great man to train for and I think it means a lot to him to have winners here.
 
“I’ve always liked this horse. He can’t handle heavy ground, can’t go in it, but the ground was in his favour today.
 
“I’ll look forward to tomorrow now.
 
“He was very good - he was quick and nimble when he needed to be, he was bold when he needed to be. I don’t think I wanted him to be that far forward, but he was enjoying it - you have to leave it to jockeys like Ben - and he was really good. I’m just delighted for JP. We’ve been training 13 years, and to have winners for people like him helps a lot.
 
“I was a bit deflated after the first two days, if I’m completely honest. It’s a stark reminder of how hard it is to win here, because you come with good horses… We weren’t really sighted. You arrive today thinking, golly, I hope I beat my luck today, and this was one of the darts we hoped would run well, so it was great to see it come off. I’m pleased we’ve had one before The Jukebox Man runs tomorrow.”