3 minute read
Carruthers dug deep to repel all challengers and land a gutsy success in the Ultima Business Solutions Silver Jubilee Handicap Chase at Newbury.
Just minutes earlier his Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning half-brother Coneygree had paraded at the track, and the ever-popular 12-year-old was not going to be overshadowed by his younger sibling.
Mark Bradstock's charge (8-1) was struggling to find his feet in the early stages but once he made his way to the front rank under Nico de Boinville, Carruthers was not for passing.
Amigo and favourite Financial Climate were trying to apply the pressure after Carruthers jumped the last in front, but the veteran kept finding more and held Amigo by a neck at the line.
De Boinville said: "He just had a bit of a think setting off. I thought I wasn't going to let him sulk at the back and it was better to have him up there and enjoying it.
"We know he stays all day and this is the first time he's had this kind of ground for a while and he loved it. I've had a phenomenal week and I can't thank the Bradstocks enough."
Carruthers sidestepped a run in last week's Midlands National due to testing conditions and Bradstock was pleased the decision had paid off.
He said: "He doesn't know how to give up. He's been going seriously well at home and it was horrendous ground at Uttoxeter, which was why we took him out.
"I'm not sure if he will continue racing next year. We always have an AGM in the summer and we thought about going point-to-pointing, but I'm not sure if he's qualified to do that now after winning this race."
Bradstock's wife Sara added: "I thought he was in just as good a form as when he won the Hennessy (in 2011). Coneygree is a ruthless professional, while Carruthers does a lot more worrying about what goes wrong."
Rebel Rebellion foiled Pepite Rose's bid for back-to-back wins in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase.
Bobcatbilly and One Term cut out the early gallop and there appeared to be a handful of likely challengers at the top of the straight, only for Rebel Rebellion and Pepite Rose to assert their authority with three to jump.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Rebel Rebellion (7-1) hit the front with two fences left and looked likely to pull away in the hands of 5lb claimer Jack Sherwood, but he hung a little, giving favourite Pepite Rose another chance. She could not quite catch the leader and went down by a length.
The pair pulled 14 lengths clear of third-placed King Lad.
Nicholls, who was enjoying yet another Saturday winner, is now looking towards Aintree.
He said: "He's still in the National and we were half-resigned to going for the Topham. It will probably be one or the other, but he gets into the National without a penalty and Jack would love to ride him."