Harry Redknapp’s
showed a completely different side to his game in running out a ready winner of the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park.
The former football manager went through agony when seeing his pride and joy agonisingly caught at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but based on this display there are plenty of big days ahead of him.
On his chasing debut at Newbury he went straight to the front and put in some exuberant leaps along the way to winning a Grade Two.
Stepped up to Grade One company and facing an extra half a mile, Ben Jones was happy to take a lead on this occasion.
Trained by Ben Pauling, the heavily-backed 4-6 favourite settled beautifully, and whether he met a fence on a long stride or a short one, his jumping was immaculate.
To Hyland’s credit he tried to make a race of it, but The Jukebox Man had so much scope over his fences that at every obstacle he was gaining ground.
The pace really quickened approaching the second-last, and with The Jukebox Man low and quick over it the race was soon over.
He jumped the final fence cleanly to ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner, giving his rider a first victory at the highest level.