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Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle goes to France
Nietzsche Has became the fourth French winner of the Grade 2 Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle when powering through the fog to score by a widening eight lengths.
Trained by Marcel Rolland, who is no stranger to success on English soil having saddled Original to land the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton in 2008, Nietzsche Has was sent off the well-backed 11/10 favourite to go one better than when second in Grade 1 company at Auteuil last month.
It was tough to see how the race was unfolding in the thick fog, but as the camera angle switched approaching the second last, Nietzsche Has appeared to have plenty more to offer in the hands of Ludovic Philipperon.
A mistake at the penultimate flight evidently didn't halt his momentum and once runners emerged from the fog for the final time, Marcel Rolland's three-year-old had built up a sizeable advantage.
The winning margin was eight lengths, with Jamie Snowden's front-running Marche d'Aligre keeping on best to fill the runner-up spot.
Winning owner Edward James of Highbourne Stud told Sky Sports Racing: "He's a good horse and was narrowly beaten last time in a Grade 1. He had been on a summer break and took a bit more work to come back and we never got the Grade 2
"I knew he was more than capable and had beaten some good horses (previously). The only thing I was nervous about was the fog. We had a French jockey who perhaps didn't know his way around here, but it was all OK.
"I didn't want to change anything, and Ludovic has done a fantastic job with this horse all the way through. He was confident enough he could come and run his race here, so I wasn't going to deprive him of that final victory.
"He's a fantastic animal and what he has shown in his short career is early speed, soundness throughout and he has still got it. He has been better today than he was in his last race and unfortunately, it has come a little bit too late. It rained a day too late for us in France, if it had rained a day earlier, I think there would have been a different result (in the Grade 1)."
Nietzsche Has was shortened to 12/1 (from 33s) for the Triumph Hurdle by Betfair, but he looks unlikely to take his place at Prestbury Park with the son of Zarak instead set to head off to take up stallion duties back in France.
"He's going off to stud in France and will stand at Haras de Montaigu," James told Sky Sports Racing.
"I've got broodmares there because I'm a French breeder and I think he's going to be really good. He's got the sort of temperament where if you have a mare that is a little bit fizzy, I think this fella could put the other bits there and I think there will be some good offspring.
"I would have to speak to a few people (regarding a Triumph Hurdle bid) but after that race you never know. He couldn't do the two, but he would be capable of running in the race.
"It is a difficult decision as there is a lot of stuff to take on board. This horse has got a future and sometimes you have to do the sensible thing and let him do what he's going to do. I think he has done his work and that could be it."
