Zenta, left, gets the better of Bo Zenith © Photo Healy Racing
Hot favourite Zenta edged out the gallant Bo Zenith in a thrilling climax to the Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
Having placed third as part of a Willie Mullins one-two-three-four in last month’s Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, Zenta was the clear form pick and was priced up accordingly as the 5-4 market leader.
After travelling powerfully in midfield in the hands of Mark Walsh, the JP McManus-owned filly moved towards the front end still full of running early in the home straight, at which stage it looked a case of how far she would win by.
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But in Gary Moore’s dual winner Bo Zenith she came up against a rival who refused to go down without a fight, setting up a titanic tussle on the run-in.
No quarter was given by either horse or jockey, but much to the delight of favourite-backers it was Zenta who had her head down when it mattered. Nusret bidding to give Joseph O’Brien a Grade One double following the opening-race success of Banbridge was five lengths further back in third.
Mullins’ assistant, David Casey, said: “She travelled and jumped brilliant, we think she’s still improving.
“Mark just thought he got there a bit too soon. She travelled and jumped so well he’s just ended up in front sooner than he wanted.
“When he got there he felt he’d better keep going but he said she pulled herself up, she still had plenty left.
Zenta and Bo Zenith locked in battle
Zenta and Bo Zenith locked in battle (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
“She’s a lovely mare to go forward with. She’s not had much racing and she was very green the day she won her first race for us. That was why we ran her, just to get some more experience into her.
“I don’t know if she’ll go to Punchestown, we’ll see how she is when we get her home.”
Mullins was not on course, but said: “Two very good horses fought it out and it was just on the nod so she was very brave to come back and get back up.
“She looks a real prospect for the future, but I doubt she’ll go to Punchestown.”
Owner Olly Harris said of his runner-up: “He’s a proper horse, really good, and when he battled back I thought we had it.
“He’s going to be a two-and-a-half-mile chaser. We’ve looked after him but thought he had a massive chance today.
“We were a bit scared of Willie’s and it turned out that Zenta had a bit more speed than us.
“Ours is a horse for the future and we will put him away now.”
Paddy Power trimmed Zenta from 16/1 to 12/1 for the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
