14th October 2011

BOB BUCKLER RACING: Ethiopia and Culahill in top form

ETHIOPIA and Cullahill’s consistent form this season have earned Nick Elliott almost £40,000 in prize money and fifth position in the top owner’s league table.

Ethiopia’s win in the Grade Two Play Rainbow Riches At bluesq.com Handicap Chase over 3 miles on Saturday at Chepstow was the 8-year-old’s fifth win in nine starts this season, whilst Cullhill’s second place at Exeter on Friday in the Ilfracombe Food Service Handicap Chase over the same distance was his ninth race of which three were victories.

The local owner has a strike rate of 41 per cent, better than the four ahead of him whilst the horses have been placed in all but four of their races.

The success is also a triumph for trainer Bob Buckler. With limited suitable races for the pair in the summer months, the two have had to run against each other on three occasions, the last at Newton Abbot two weeks earlier in a Grade 3 race in unfavourable soft conditions.

Ethiopia finished fourth, but Cullahill had to be pulled up choking badly from tiring in the heavy ground. Having already had one throat operation and trying to avoid another, Buckler fitted a tongue tie and cheek pieces to Cullahill and dropped him back their previous Grade 4 class.

Despite top weight, the 9-year-old under James Best gave an impressive display just failing by a neck to beat the joint favourite Justabout to whom he was giving a stone in weight following a great run from the last fence.

“Although he was top weight, the ground was much better, and he ran well in the tongue tie and had no reoccurrence of his choking problems. He jumped very well, and actually headed the winner who just got up again to win.”

Meanwhile Buckler entered Ethiopia in the former Mercedez-Benz Chase, traditionally the first big race of the winter, where he carried two-stone less than the top weight, and he and Best defied his 20/1 odds by holding on to beat Swincombe Rock by half-a-length after being in touch all the way around.

“He was very impressive throughout,” said Buckler, who was slightly critical of the new rules regarding the use of the whip which came in on Monday and would have earned Best a 21-day ban and loss of riding fee and winnings, instead of the one day ban as a warning to a young jockey he got.

“He hit him 17 times throughout the 3 miles which isn’t particularly excessive; the new rules only allow a maximum of eight, and no more than five on the run in.”

This was a sentimental victory for owner Elliott as his much loved I Hear Thunder won the race back in 2005.

Buckler good season which has earned him almost £50,000 in prize money already, continued with all but one of his horses being placed.

The relatively inexperienced Small Fly despite finishing third of three in the Dalepak Ltd ‘National Hunt' Novices’ Hurdle at Towcester showed a lot of promise against two experienced, good horses and was only beaten a total of six lengths.

“He ran a super race. He wants at least two and a half miles and softer ground, and a left handed track. He kept jumping to the left at every hurdle that cost him about one and a half lengths each time to straighten up.”

Quix also produced a good performance in finishing third in the Bathwick Tyres Taunton Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter, although Buckler believes it may be another year before you see the best of this 5-year-old.

“He is a very talented horse but ran too freely. He’s still growing and need to mature a bit more physically, but also mentally, which I think is what is going to take the time. But he is talented and is a really exciting prospect.”

Buckler was disappointed that Saint Peray did not win his first race for the Strictly Come Racing syndicate that purchased him recently.

A double point to point winner, he finished third under conditional jockey Ed Linehan in the Western Electrical Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Exeter, beaten on the run-in for the runners-up spot by AP McCoy on O’Callaghan’s Strand.

“My instructions were to go for home as they turned into the straight and stretch the field, and I feel that if Ed had done that he would have won.

“As it was he held off and was swallowed up at the finish.

“He also blundered slightly at the last which lost his momentum, but otherwise it was a brilliant run.”

The only disappointment was Balllygulleen who ran twice, finishing fourth out of six at Towcester with a poor jumping display, before running much better at Newton Abbot two days later, but when well in contention ran out as they started the third circuit.

BOB BUCKLER RACING: Ethiopia and Culahill in top form

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