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Hiddenvalley Lake Triumphs at the Ivy Liverpool Hurdle
Hiddenvalley Lake showcased a remarkable performance at Aintree, securing victory in the prestigious Ivy Liverpool Hurdle under the guidance of trainer Henry de Bromhead. After finishing third in the same race last year, the eight-year-old gelding came into this year’s event with mixed expectations following a near miss in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot just weeks earlier, where he was narrowly defeated.
Starting at 12/1 odds after an underwhelming outing at Gowran, Hiddenvalley Lake was positioned mid-pack by jockey Darragh O’Keeffe. As the race progressed and competitors began to jockey for position, he moved forward alongside Jessica Harrington’s Jetara, and the two began to challenge leaders Strong Leader and Monmiral, trained by Paul Nicholls.
Approaching the final straight, the four horses jumped the second-to-last hurdle in formation. However, O’Keeffe appeared to be sitting on the strongest challenger, as Hiddenvalley Lake and Jetara broke away, leaving their rivals behind. Once it was time to complete the jump, Hiddenvalley Lake quickly established dominance, pulling away to secure a two-and-three-quarter-length victory over a persistent Strong Leader, who, despite the loss, maintained a commendable performance.
Jetara finished in third place, while Gordon Elliott’s The Wallpark took fourth. This victory marked another success for De Bromhead and the Robcour ownership group in the staying division, following the triumph of Bob Olinger at the Cheltenham Festival.
Notably, Teahupoo, another horse owned by Robcour, was a last-minute withdrawal from the race due to the favorable ground conditions. Reflecting on the race, De Bromhead commented on the unexpected fortunes, saying, “It’s nice being the second string, isn’t it? We’re delighted; Darragh gave him a super ride. We were a little bit concerned about the ground, but I’d say he nearly preferred it.”
He further expressed satisfaction with Hiddenvalley Lake’s performance, mentioning, “He’s a lovely horse; he was only just chinned at Ascot. Although he was disappointing in Gowran, it’s wonderful to see him back in good form. We will enjoy this win today.” Looking forward, De Bromhead indicated that they are considering entering both Hiddenvalley Lake and Bob Olinger for upcoming races, including the potential for a run at Punchestown.
On the other hand, Strong Leader’s trainer, Olly Murphy, expressed his disappointment regarding the race’s pace. “He’s run well, but Sean (Bowen) is frustrated because they went no gallop, which meant he had to ride him handier than we wanted to,” Murphy stated. He added, “If they had gone a bit quicker, perhaps we might have had a different outcome, but the best horse won today.”
Murphy noted that Strong Leader is an exceptional stayer, and the slow pace did not play to his strengths. He remains hopeful about future endeavors, stating, “This is his race; he loves it here. Flat tracks suit him better, so we’re looking at starting at Wetherby, then moving to Newbury, and possibly skipping Ascot at Christmas, with a potential appearance at Leopardstown next season.”
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