Kitty's Light wins Bet365 Gold Cup; Jonbon and Hewick also triumph at Sandown
- Published
Kitty's Light (right) won by two-and-a-half lengths from Moroder
Kitty's Light won the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown - just a week after landing the Scottish Grand National for Welsh trainer Christian Williams.
The 11-4 favourite, ridden by Jack Tudor, beat Moroder, with Revels Hill third and The Goffer fourth.
Kitty's Light is only the second horse to complete the Ayr-Sandown double, after Hot Weld in 2007.
"It's very special," said Williams, whose young daughter Betsy was recently diagnosed with leukaemia.
"We knew it was a big ask, but we knew he was capable.
"Ayr was great last week, we were under pressure there as we'd had such a tough few weeks with Betsy and when we got up there the story was all about Betsy.
"We showed our emotion at Ayr but today was purely a bonus."
Frodon made much of the early running but faded under top weight, and Kitty's Light jumped the last upsides Moroder before powering up the hill.
"Everything that Chris and his family are going through is terrible but this horse has done so much to lift them," said winning jockey Tudor.
"I spoke to Charlotte (Williams' partner) and she said that Betsy thinks she's famous! It's brilliant and I know they're getting a massive lift from this, it's bound to be helping."
Kitty's Light, who also won the Eider Chase at Newcastle earlier in the season, had previously finished second and third in Sandown's big race.
Jonbon and Hewick triumph, Nicholls breaks record at Sandown
Earlier, 8-13 favourite Jonbon, ridden by Aidan Coleman for trainer Nicky Henderson, won the Celebration Chase on the final day of the British jump racing season.
After Jonbon beat Captain Guinness, Henderson suggested the winner would be back at Sandown next season for the Tingle Creek Chase.
He is about a 10-1 chance for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Last year's Bet365 Gold Cup winner Hewick, a faller in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, added to his impressive CV by winning the Oaksey Chase.
Rachael Blackmore was on board as she reunited with trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon, who was influential early on in her career.
Hewick, winner of the Galway Plate and American Grand National, won by four lengths from First Flow.
Brian Hughes was crowned champion jump jockey for the third time, while Paul Nicholls picked up his 14th trainers' championship.
Nicholls is now one away from matching the record of 15-time champion trainer Martin Pipe, and broke his own record for prize money.
He finishes the season with a total of £3,646,585 - just £74 more than his previous best in the 2007-08 season.
Knappers Hill, under Bryony Frost, won the Select Hurdle for Nicholls by a neck from Goshen. Thyme Hill was fourth, ridden by Tom O'Brien who earlier announced his retirement after riding more than 1,000 winners.
At Punchestown, Echoes In Rain won the Mares Champion Hurdle while Lossiemouth took the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle as trainer Willie Mullins ended the week with nine victories from the 12 Grade One races.
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