Colin's Sister takes Wetherby honours for Fergal O'Brien
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
By Racinguk.com staff
Colin's Sister beat the boys with a stylish display in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby.
Fergal O'Brien's mare was a prolific winner last season but came up short when upped to Grade One company in Ireland on her final start.
Reappearing in the Grade Two contest, registered as the West Yorkshire Hurdle, she was in receipt of plenty of weight from her rivals but still faced a tough task at the ratings.
However, on the final bend Paddy Brennan was struggling to hold her so well was she travelling and while an untidy leap at the last lessened the winning margin, she still beat Wholestone by two lengths.
Lil Rockerfeller, second in the Stayers' Hurdle last term, filled third, just like 12 months ago.
"It's such a shame her owner/breeder Caroline Beresford-Wylie can't be here but she broke her arm a few day ago," said O'Brien of his 10-1 winner.
"Thankfully she let me plough on with the plan and we were very glad it rained as it helps slow the others down a bit. We didn't come to make up the numbers but I thought 10-1 summed up her chance, she had each-way claims.
"We've always thought three miles would be the making of her and she loved the ground and was getting weight.
"We'll have to see what's next, she's had a hard race there, before this we were thinking of going back against mares at either Kempton or Cheltenham.
"We didn't come here for a prep but I honestly thought today would put her spot-on for one of those. This has blown us all away."
Neil King said of Lil Rockerfeller: "He's run his race. He's a lazy, stuffy horse and that will sharpen him up a bit.
"He travelled and jumped well and I thought he might pull away at one stage but he's blown up. We could go to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle but we went to Ascot for the Coral Hurdle last year and might do again."
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