Versatile Latenightpass has been retired

Latenightpass, a high-class hunter chaser who became a leading operator around Cheltenham’s cross-country course and over Aintree’s Grand National fences, has been retired.

After another cracking effort when finishing fifth in Wednesday’s Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at the Festival, the 13-year-old, whose stable name is Bob, returned home to his Warwickshire box which had been decorated with ‘Happy retirement’ bunting.

Owner/breeder Pippa Ellis, whose son Tom trained the gelding for most of his career, said: “That’s Bob done. He’s 13 and still has all the enthusiasm, but what else can we do with him? It’s been an all-round decision and while it’s sad the journey has come to an end it’s lovely to think he’s got a home for life. Gina loves him – he might go hunting. but I said to her ‘Good luck, because he’s got no mouth and no manners’ and she replied ‘Well he won’t stop at the jumps’. He’s such a sound, bonny little chap.”

A homecoming fit for a hero . . . Latenightpass after Wednesday’s Cheltenham run

Latenightpass, a son of Passing Glance and the Ellis’s mare Latenightdip – who Tom rode in point-to-points – made his debut as a four-year-old in 2017, but it took until his sixth run to put his head in front when winning at Sheriff Hutton in January 2019. Gina Andrews’, Tom’s wife, has been the horse’s regular partner, but when Covid disrupted point-to-pointing her sister, professional jockey Bridget Skelton, picked up the ride when Latenightpass made his hunters’ chase debut a winning one at Warwick.

He started at 40/1 for that race, but proved the win was no fluke when finishing fourth to Porlock Bay in the following month’s Festival Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham. Further confirmation that he was a very progressive hunter came a month later when, with Gina back in the saddle, he finished runner-up to Cousin Pascal in Aintree’s Randox Foxhunters’ Chase.

In 2022 the decision to skip Cheltenham paid off when Latenightpass returned to Aintree and claimed the no.1 spot, beating Cat Tiger and Porlock Bay, and he furthered his record over the Grand National fences as a ten-year-old when fourth to Famous Clermont on his third attempt at the Foxhunters’.

With little to prove as a hunter the decision was taken to try tackling Cheltenham’s cross-country races, and so Latenightpass moved to Dan Skelton’s yard and immediately proved a hit in the new discipline, finishing second at the November meeting, and then returning to the course the following month for an impressive win.

Latenightpass (left, Gina Andrews) jumps the last in a Cheltenham cross-country race

Having shown greater stamina than might have been expected a plan to tackle the Grand National was put into action and Tom gained a full licence in order to prep his mother’s horse for the race. On the face of it twelfth place, beaten 36 lengths, was an unspectacular effort, but the reality was very different, for Latenightpass was prominent throughout under Gina and led at the second-last fence. He was joined at the final jump and his stamina finally cracked, but for the Ellis family it had been a monumental occasion.

Returning to Cheltenham’s cross-country course as a 12-year-old he ran two more fine races when third of 15 at the December meeting and then when finishing runner-up to Stumptown at last year’s Festival. Age appeared to have removed some of his edge this season, but his final run this week was another superb effort when fifth to Ireland’s Final Orders and best of the British runners.

Reflecting on the peaks, Pippa said: “My highlight was winning the Foxhunters’ at Aintree. I never dreamed he could do that. Tony [her husband] thinks his best performance was last year when second in the cross-country race at the Festival. It’s been an amazing journey.”

Pippa Ellis with husband Tony, son Tom and his wife Gina Andrews in the family colours

Latenightpass won four and was placed in four races under rules, while from 19 point-to-point runs he won nine and was placed in five.