Three Performances From The Weekend - 23/11/20

The performance of the weekend came from the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Bristol De Mai in the Grade One Chase, with the grey landing the event for the third time during his career.

Having finished runner up in the event last term the nine year old got back to winning ways in the event like he did in 2017 and 2018.

The Grade One event at Haydock suits him down to the ground and when the ground turned heavy before the off it made his task just that little bit easier, handling the conditions better than Clan Des Obeaux and favourite Lostintranslation.

This race every season is like his Gold Cup with him being primed for the event and although it looks as though he will head for the other big events over fences for the season, the other stars may now catch up with him.

Close behind Bristol De Mai for the outstanding performance across the weekend was the Kim Bailey trained Imperial Aura, who has proved this season that he is ready for Grade One company.

The Grade Two 1965 Chase saw a four string field go to post and with the seven year old stepping up into this company for the first time, he was superb.

Having landed a Listed event in good company on seasonal debut at Carlisle, he improved a massive amount for that run and jumped his opponents into submission.

Having won at the Cheltenham festival last season it looks as though he will be heading back to Prestbury Park in March with the Grade One Ryanair Chase well within his grasp.

The final performance to take note of from the weekend came from the David Pipe trained Main Fact who managed to land nine straight races in a row.

The training performance from the Pipe team has been tremendous with the seven year old staying on from a horrible position to land the Grade Three Stayers' Handicap Hurdle.

The gelding had been running on both the flat and over hurdles and having up 15lb for this run, many thought that it would be impossible for him to win.

However, with the heavy ground coming it saw off the challenge of some of the more prominent runners in the market and left Main Fact to power up the straight to victory.

Connections will have to be dreaming of the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March with how progressive he has been this season.