‘Proper performance’ seals Rasen riches for Copperhead

Copperhead’s renaissance continued as he did Joe Tizzard proud to land the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

The 11-year-old has been flourishing this term after a spell where he looked adrift when struggling to reach the heights of his novice years.

Tizzard considers a heavy fall in the 2020 RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the cause of a complete loss of confidence, and the road to restoring his faith in his own ability has been a long one.

His connections did not stop believing, however, and this season their patience has finally begun to pay off with the chestnut returning in autumn in excellent form.

The Veterans’ Series has very much been the target and the gelding won legs at Chepstow and Aintree before finishing second by narrow margins at both Sandown and Cheltenham.

Under Freddie Gingell he was widely tipped to be the horse to beat in the final at Market Rasen, which was rerouted from its usual host track of Sandown and then again from Warwick after both meetings were lost due to the weather.

A well-known field of eight assembled for the race, worth over £38,000 to the winner, and after a smooth passage throughout it was Copperhead who came to the fore in the home straight.

Sam Brown, Anthony Honeyball’s evergreen 13-year-old, threw down an admirable challenge from the last to the line but Copperhead had more to offer still and prevailed by a length and a quarter.

“I’m just absolutely chuffed,” said Tizzard.

“I was genuinely pleased to get his head back in front at Plumpton in May, and it just shows that winning again has done him the world of good.

“He’s had a fantastic autumn and I was so glad they rearranged this because it is this horse’s Gold Cup.

“He had a horrible fall in the RSA in 2020 and he just completely lost his confidence, but Alan and Gill (Pritchard, owners) stuck with him.

“He showed signs of coming back and now he is back, that was a proper performance.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him, I’ve got more out of winning this with him than I do from plenty of other races.

“I’m really proud of Eldorado Allen as well (fourth), they have been fantastic horses for the yard and this means a lot to me.”