Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore’s raid on Haydock’s most prestigious National Hunt race paid off in no uncertain terms at the weekend as A PLUS TARD romped home in the Gr.1 Betfair Chase. Sent off the 11/10 favourite, last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up settled into an ominously good rhythm from an early stage and grew in stature as his rivals began to make mistakes and toil. A Plus Tard was travelling so supremely that Blackmore had to take a pull three fences from home, eventually allowing her mount to seal the victory after the penultimate fence, with the pair sauntering clear for a faultless 22-length success.
Still just seven-years-old, A Plus Tard has now won three Grade 1 races, a Cheltenham Festival handicap and has also never been outside the first three in any of his 17 starts. All being well, he will now head to Leopardstown at Christmas in a bid to defend his crown in the Grade 1 Savills Chase over 3 miles.