Rothwell lands Listowel's feature with El Champo Trainer Philip Rothwell paid tribute to longstanding owner Oliver Barden following the pair’s success in Listowel’s featured €50,000 Charlie Chute Memorial Handicap Chase today, with the Tiernan Power Roche-partnered El Champo (11/2). Six of the 19 scheduled fences were omitted due to low sun in the home straight and while front-running El Champo was headed bypassing the final obstacle, rallied to beat General Clermont by a half-length, with Talk In The Park a head away in third. Rothwell reported “that win is very special and, I keep saying it, but Oliver and Marie (Barden) are amazing owners to me. They are unbelievable and every year when I need a dig out or when I find a horse which isn’t massively expensive, they keep going and buying. Their appetite for jumps racing is just incredible and they are a lovely family. “His jumping was brilliant today but hadn’t always been that way. Simon (Torrens) gave him an unbelievable ride around Tramore the last day where the fences are smaller, and I think he got a lot of confidence from it. “When I tell Tiernan (Power Roche) to pop off and make the running it is scary, as he is so positive and so accurant over a fence. He is an extraordinarily talented young fella, so I’m delighted to have both him and Simon on our own little team.”
