RAIN nearly stopped play at Ascot, but it survived by the skin of its teeth to the delight of Tom George.
Two inspections nearly ruined the Christmas cheer but it was The Worlds End (15-8f) who went home with the Grade 1 Marsh Hurdle trophy to put under the tree.
The headline act Paisley Park was taken out of the race on the account of the ground as Emma Lavelle didn’t want to risk her star on some patches of false ground.
It left four in the three mile hurdle and it was always going to be a tactical affair.
The Worlds End cut out much of the running under Adrian Heskin with Papagana keeping the pressure on throughout.
Agrapart and L’Ami Serge were happy to bring up the rear and it was that pair that looked to have the race between them turning in.
L’Ami Serge cruised to the front under Nico De Boinville but looked to get stuck in the mud when it mattered.
He slowed to a near stop despite De Boinville’s best efforts and a game The Worlds End showed all the heart you could wish for to surge back in front late on. L’Ami Serge stuck on for second.
George said: “They steadied it up at the halfway stage to get a bit of company and Adrian said he was in front long enough. But once he asked, he said there was plenty there and he picked up really nicely.
“Once I saw him pick up, I thought he would be OK, but I didn’t feel very confident going to the last. Far from it. I thought, ‘second again’, but we would have been happy with that at this stage.
“I think we have had about 14 Grade Ones now – we didn’t have one last year, but we had three the season before. They are hard to come by and you’ve got to train them like Grade One horses and hope it all falls your way on the day, which it has.
“We will enjoy this before making a decision on where we go next.”
He went on: “I’m delighted. He had a lot of problems towards the second part of last season, which we have sorted out over the summer. The runner-up I watched more than ours, and he has run a hell of a race, as he was very keen the whole way and probably just didn’t see out the trip.
“Maybe if someone had given us a lead, we would have found it easier as well. But at the end of the day we’re happy with the way it has gone. He can go over fences one day, but for now we will stick with what we’ve got.
A welcome Grade 1 winner for @TomGeorgeRacing & the @McNeill_Family
The Worlds End wins the Marsh Hurdle at Ascot pipping LAmi Serge late on
pic.twitter.com/j7TIlEPBt0
— Sun Racing (@SunRacing) December 21, 2019
“The other thing we might consider, later on in the year, is he might love Auteuil now he copes with the soft ground. That is something we will talk about in the spring.”
Heskin said: “It is great to get a Grade One under his belt, because he is a very good horse. I know that might not have been the strongest of renewals, but he was due one.
“He did everything well during the race, but when he got passed by L’Ami Serge, he was never for beating. The second I got stuck into him he was always picking up. He just kept finding and is just a dour stayer.
“Tom has done a great job with him and the two girls who look after him, Charlie and Sarah. He takes plenty of minding and goes to a spa a couple of times of week and it’s great to get him back on track.”
He added: “It is fantastic to win a Grade One in these colours. I’m very lucky to be riding for the McNeill family. I’ve had a tough couple of years with injuries and things and they’ve stuck by me and it’s great that I’m able to repay them.
“I think this is the tip of the iceberg for them, as they have a great bunch of horses and I hope they are very successful.”
