No, I Wasn't Court Short

Ben Morgan had some nice pick-ups at the big meetings last month

Newbury hosted a ding dong novice chase on the first day of December with Willoughby Court, Yanworth and Adrien Du Pont locking horns. It looked a mouth-watering clash and one I was convinced Willoughby Court would win.

I have followed him since his bumper win at Southwell and punters will know you can follow a horse off a cliff on a regular basis, but this lad has never let me down.

I felt a £20 wager at 2/1 was fair because I didn’t want to burden the old boy with a bundle of my cash, because he already had his hands full and if he did win I would be happy with a small monetary return, knowing there would be bigger days ahead with him.

Nico De Boinville rode the race perfectly, Yanworth and Adrien Du Pont didn’t want to be anywhere near the pace which meant Nico could take a lead while giving Willoughby a few sighters, before kicking him on down the back.

He stretched his rivals out with some accurate jumps which allowed him to take a pull turning for home before kicking on again. Although it looked like the pack were closing, they had plenty to do to if they were to negotiate the stiff Newbury fences as well as find four lengths on a horse which is pinching a length at every fence.

Adrien Du Pont soon cried enough and Barry Geraghty did his best to nurse Yanworth into contention but the race was gone and Willoughby Court had plenty left passing the finish line. Festival winner written all over him.

After I had such a successful month in November I was cautious of becoming a victim of my own success so backed off for a few days. I mustered up a £40 win bet on last month’s bet of the month, Spider’s Bite. I was concerned that he wasn’t stepped up in trip but thought the heavy ground at Haydock would tire them a bit and his stamina would come into play.