With a determined sweep through the stretch, The Fields Stable’s Bob Le Beau drew clear to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 National Hunt Cup (Gr. 3) on Saturday to give trainer Elizabeth Voss her third win of the day and a sweep of the Radnor Hunt Races’ two stakes races.
In the previous race, Armata Stables’ Wildcatter was elevated to the top spot of the $30,000 Radnor Hunt Cup over timber fences on the disqualification of Straight to It.
Jack Doyle, now in the United States for the duration of the 2015 National Steeplechase Association season, rode Bob Le Beau to victory and also won the $30,000 Milfern Cup Sport of Kings maiden hurdle aboard Merriefield Farm’s Alwaary for Voss.
Irish-bred Bob Le Beau, making his first 2015 start, ended Decoy Daddy’s streak of two victories in the National Hunt Cup. Irv Naylor’s ageless wonder, now 13, finished second, a length clear of David Semmes Memorial (Gr. 2) winner Parker’s Project in third.
Bob Le Beau and Doyle followed the early pace of The Fields Stable’s Portrade, also trained by Voss, and Carol-Ann Sloan kept Decoy Daddy in touch with his pace. Bob Le Beau made his move on the climb to the National Hunt Cup’s final fence and drew clear in the stretch past a game Decoy Daddy.
In winning his first race in the United States, eight-year-old Bob Le Beau ran the National Hunt Cup’s 2 3/8 miles in 4:29 flat.
The Radnor Hunt Cup was a series of firsts for apprentice jockey Brittany Baumgardner. Never before had she claimed foul, but she said Straight to It had drifted into Wildcatter’s path in the charge to the finish line in the Radnor Hunt Cup. “I really had to take him back hard, and he’s such a big horse,” she said.
The Radnor stewards interviewed both Baumgardner and Straight to It’s jockey, Sean McDermott, and carefully reviewed the patrol video before elevating Wildcatter to the first position, with Straight to It placed second. The Radnor Hunt Cup was Baumgardner’s first stakes victory.
Gerry L. Brewster’s Brands Hatch finished third. The time for the 3 1/4-mile Radnor Hunt Cup was 7:03.20 on firm turf.
Paddy Young, currently atop the jockey standings by wins, scored two victories, aboard William E. Riddle’s Absolum in the $20,000 James M. Moran open claiming hurdle and Omega Racing Stable’s Tafawuk in the Henry Collins maiden claiming hurdle. Leslie Young trained Absolum, and former champion jockey Danielle Hodsdon sent out Tafawuk.