Berlais bids to pay ultimate tribute to late owner John Hales

Paul Nicholls feels it would be a fitting tribute to owner John Hales should Kalif Du Berlais win the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Nicholls announced on Friday morning that his long-standing supporter Hales had died on Thursday evening at the age of 85.

The pair enjoyed a fruitful partnership over the best part of 25 years, starting with Arkle and Champion Chase winner Azertyuiop, through the likes of Noland, Al Ferof and Politologue.

In recent years, Hales has owned many of his horses in a partnership which includes former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason, with their three sets of silks alternating.

Kalif Du Berlais was supposed to be running in Ferguson’s red and white colours this weekend, but he will now sport Hales’ famous yellow and red.

Nicholls told the PA news agency: “I suggested to all the guys this morning that it would be a nice thing to do if he ran in John’s silks and they were all 100 per cent behind it, so that’s what we’ve done.

“It would be nice if Kalif could do the business. He’s a really smart horse and I’m sure John will be watching.

“There was never any doubt about him not running. Lisa (Hales’ daughter) said it’s what he would have wanted.

“So, he’s going to run, he’ll be in John’s colours and if he can win it would be fantastic, but John really has been a wonderful man.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without him, he really helped me along the way and he was a great man.”

After enjoying initial success with Gordon and Nicky Richards, Hales teamed up with Nicholls and the pair recruited Azertyuiop, who would end up as part of a triumvirate of top-class two-mile chasers along with Well Chief and Moscow Flyer in a golden era.

“He started off with horses with Gordon and Nicky Richards and then he came down to us and we’ve had horses for him for about 25 years now. He was a fantastic man and a fantastic friend,” said Nicholls.

“Azertyuiop was the first good horse I had for him and I think I might have only had one other before him, but Anthony Bromley bought him Azertyuiop and obviously we had great success with him.

“John had showjumpers with his family and they were very successful at that, then one of the very first (race)horses he had was One Man, incredibly, which gave him the bug and then his family caught it too, especially Lisa, his daughter. She was heavily involved with the horses and looked after them all in the summer.

“He would never have had lots in training, maybe half a dozen a year. I actually think he’s got more this season than he’s ever had, split between myself and Dan (Skelton), but he’s had some amazingly good ones.”

A Grand National victory is the dream for many in National Hunt racing and it was no different for Nicholls and Hales, and together they achieved it with the help of Daryl Jacob and an 11-year-old grey.

“Of course, we’ll never forget that day at Aintree with Neptune Collonges. I don’t think we’d have ever topped that, just given the circumstances, the close finish (a nose) and with it being his last run,” said Nicholls.

“Neptune was very unlucky to be around in the same era as Kauto (Star) and Denman, otherwise he might have won a Gold Cup himself, but John enjoyed his trips to Ireland and he won a few big races over there for him at Leopardstown and Punchestown. He was a wonderful horse.

“We had a party at a hotel after the National and the next morning John was up and came to the village with us to parade Neptune. I think it was probably one of the proudest days of his life. He shared it all with his family and all of us.

“We had some wonderful memories together and we’ll remember him fondly.

“When you think about the likes of Al Ferof, Noland, Politologue, they were all very, very good horses – he put a lot into it, so he deserved his success.”