Ahoy Senor, who won a maiden race at Kimble in November, gave a resounding boost to the profile of young British point-to-pointers when winning a Grade One hurdle race at Aintree on Friday.
Bred by retired electrical engineer Don Constable, who lives in Shropshire, Ahoy Senor was trained by Mel Rowley when, as a five-year-old, he won a point-to-point. Within a week he was offered for sale at Goffs UK’s November P2P Sale at Yorton Stud, where he was knocked down to licensed trainer Lucinda Russell for £50,000.
Russell was acting for fledgling racehorse owner Caren Wymer, who was making her first investment, but it started paying off when her acquisition finished runner-up in a bumper at Ayr in January. Returning to the same Scottish track in March, Ahoy Senor won a maiden hurdle over two and a half miles before making the huge leap up to Grade One company at Aintree. Sent off at 66/1 he made all the running under jockey Derek Fox, hurdled with energy-saving efficiency, and galloped to victory by seven lengths from the 13/8 favourite Bravemansgame. Twelve ran and there was no fluke about the winner’s victory, which will have done no harm to the value of three unraced siblings which Constable still owns. They include a yearling full-brother.
Russell’s partner, Peter Scudamore, said: “To think we entered him in a novices’ hurdle at Hexham [ten days earlier] and were going to run there, but after walking the course decided it would be perfect at Aintree, so changed our plan.” Russell said she would have been delighted if Ahoy Senor had finished fifth or sixth.
Ahoy Senor went under the hammer at Goffs UK's Yorton P2P Sale in November 2020
Other good results for ex-British pointers at Aintree included Pink Eyed Pedro’s superb effort when finishing second in the Randox Topham Chase over the National fences. Owned and trained by David Brace, a long-time supporter of point-to-pointing and on whose land the course at Pyle in South Wales is based, Pink Eyed Pedro (33/1) was ridden by Jack Tudor, a former novice point-to-point champion.
Cousin Pascal (66/1), who won a restricted race at Chaddesley Corbett in December, achieved a life-time ambition for Cheshire trainer Joe O’Shea when winning the Rose Paterson Randox Foxhunters’ Chase on Thursday, and on Saturday, ex-pointer Tea Clipper, who finished third in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, took the same spot in the Gr.3 EFT Systems Handicap Hurdle. He is an exciting prospect for novice chases when trainer Tom Lacey considers the time is right.
The next opportunity to buy a British pointer at public auction will be at Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale on Friday week (April 23). Due to Covid restrictions it is being held at Tattersalls’ headquarters in Newmarket.