The Flier Begley avoids drama to land valuable veterans’ final

Gary Hanmer’s 10-year-old was well backed into 5-1 and the only moment of angst his supporters will have had came inadvertently.

Spyglass Hill was an early casualty but preceded to gallop with the field, with his slipped saddle round his midriff.

He eventually made his way onto the hurdles track but just as the field were turning into the back straight, the riderless Spyglass Hill decided he wanted to join in again and attempted to jump the plastic rail but broke through it, spooking most of the other runners, which saw Bruce Lynn unseated from last year’s runner-up Dubai Days.

With last year’s winner Numitor running a rare lacklustre race and Eldorado Allen unable to keep up the pace in front, it was The Flier Begley and Jack Hogan who cruised to the front.

Looking like a horse half his age, he powered clear to win by six lengths from Flic Ou Voyou, with Glynn third and Dan Skelton’s Le Milos only fourth.

“He’s a nice horse and for a 10-year-old he’s been progressing all year, so I’m delighted with him,” said Hanmer.

“I never saw when he got interfered with as I was in the stands, but thankfully we managed to miss it.

“Jack was very impressed with his jumping and he travelled very well. We freshened him up after his last run here, when we were a little disappointed with him, and he seems to have gone very well for it.

“It’s a nice race for Jack to lose his claim in, he’s a good lad, he comes in once a week and we use him when we can.

“This was his Gold Cup today and it’s our biggest win.”

Hogan told Racing TV: “It’s a nice way to lose my claim for sure, I was thinking I was about to lose my claim and I hadn’t really ridden a nice winner but I’ve done it now.

“I was wary of the loose horse, wondering where he was going to go, but my lad was good, he jumped like a stag.

“Gary has done a great job with him, he’s won four this year and to win a £100,000 handicap is impressive.”