Wendigo will head towards the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury following an impressive victory in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle on Sunday, November 1. The Wendigo Carlisle Triumph under Conor O’Farrell marked a successful seasonal debut for Jamie Snowden’s seven-year-old, who secured a two-and-a-quarter-length victory and strengthened his prospects of tackling major staying chases at Newbury and Aintree.
Carlisle staged its biggest fixture of the Jump season with PricedUp Colin Parker Raceday, featuring two £40,000 Listed chases. Both contests went to Snowden-trained runners, giving the Lambourn trainer an impressive double on the afternoon.
Wendigo Delivers Impressive Colin Parker Chase Performance
Wendigo, the outsider of the three-runner field, produced a determined performance in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase over two and a half miles. Making his first appearance of the season, the seven-year-old jumped fluently throughout and disputed the lead with Doyen Quest, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by Harry Skelton. Potters Charm, the 8-11 favourite trained by Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies and partnered by Sam Twiston-Davies, remained detached in third.
Turning for home, Wendigo moved into a clear lead as Doyen Quest dropped away. Potters Charm then emerged as the main challenger, but the market leader could not close the gap. Wendigo stayed on strongly to secure a two-and-a-quarter-length success, with Potters Charm finishing second.
The victory marked O’Farrell’s first ride on Wendigo, and the jockey praised the horse’s jumping, stamina and determination. He acknowledged that the seven-year-old had faced several challenges, including conceding 10lb to Potters Charm and racing on ground that might not have suited him ideally.
O’Farrell also highlighted the horse’s ability to handle different jumping distances and his strong response in the closing stages. He credited Snowden and his team for having Wendigo in excellent condition for his seasonal return.
Newbury Coral Gold Cup Emerges as Next Target
The Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on November 28 emerged as the likely next assignment for Wendigo following his Carlisle success. O’Farrell believed the track would suit the seven-year-old and expected him to be well prepared for the challenge after his first outing of the campaign.
A longer-term appearance at Aintree could also form part of his plans for the spring. O’Farrell drew comparisons with Many Clouds, who won the Colin Parker in 2014 before landing the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and the Grand National at Aintree the following season.
The jockey identified both Newbury and Aintree as potential targets, while stressing that suitable ground would be an important consideration. He also described Wendigo as an exciting prospect with considerable scope and versatility over fences.
Gavin Sheehan, Wendigo’s regular jockey, could return to the saddle for future assignments after O’Farrell partnered him at Carlisle.
Obsessedwithyou Completes Jamie Snowden’s Carlisle Double
Jamie Snowden secured his second Listed victory of the afternoon when Obsessedwithyou won the PricedUp Boosted Prices Daily Houghton Mares’ Chase over two and a half miles.
Ridden for the first time by Sam Twiston-Davies, the seven-year-old mare raced prominently throughout alongside last year’s winner Paggane. She established a decisive advantage two fences from home and maintained her effort to hold off Apple Away by a length and a quarter.
Apple Away finished second, while Paggane came home another length and a half behind in third.
Twiston-Davies praised the mare’s jumping and consistency, explaining that she had faced a competitive assignment and had more to prove on paper. He was pleased with the rhythm she established during the race and her response throughout the contest.
The victory completed a successful Listed double for Snowden at Carlisle, with Wendigo and Obsessedwithyou both delivering strong performances. Wendigo’s success, in particular, placed Newbury and a potential Aintree campaign firmly on the agenda for the season ahead.
Wendigo Carlisle Triumph in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase put the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and a potential Aintree campaign in focus, while Jamie Snowden completed a Listed double through Obsessedwithyou at Carlisle.
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