Longsdon delight as Glimpse Of Gala secures Festival ticket

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Glimpse Of Gala put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture when landing the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Warwick.

A four-length winner at Kempton last month, Charlie Longsdon’s seven-year-old continued her fine association with young conditional Bradley Roberts, with the 7-4 favourite pulling out extra to hold off Dan Skelton’s Becher Chase hero Ashtown Lad.

The winner has now booked her spot in the final of the Pertemps Series at Prestbury Park and was introduced into the betting at 20-1 by Betfair.

“She’s from a very tough family,” said Longsdon. “My landlord has bred three generations of the family and they have all been very tough and she is certainly the epitome of tough.

“A year ago I would never have run her on heavy ground and now she seems to relish it and thrive in it and outbattles them.

“I thought the second horse was going better than us, but she just outbattled him.”

“We’re qualified now for Cheltenham and that will be the plan if we’re good enough to get there.”

On a Festival bid he added: “That will be the plan, we’ve got Hector Javilex who we also need to get qualified.

“So I’m glad we’ve got Glimpse Of Gala qualified, hopefully we get him qualified as well in a couple of weeks and it will be great to have a couple of runners there.”

Haddex Des Obeaux never spotted a rival when producing a taking display of front-running in the Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase.

Haddex Des Obeaux ridden by Jamie Moore goes on to win The Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase at Warwick
Haddex Des Obeaux ridden by Jamie Moore goes on to win The Wigley Support Fund Edward Courage Cup Handicap Chase at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

Up 6lb for his pillar-to-post win at Doncaster over the Christmas period, the Gary Moore-trained 5-4 favourite was foot-perfect from the front once again under Jamie Moore, coming home an eased-down 19-lengths ahead of Venetia Williams’ Galop De Chasse.

“It was impressive,” said the rider. “We could have done with the last fence being in as he jumps so well. It’s a track that is custom made for him, we saw the race in the entry book and we had to get him in.

“I just fill him up up the hill, let him stride on down it and once he saw those fences I thought ‘right, let’s crack on now and get the race won’.

“He’s improving, by Saddex the same as Editeur Du Gite. He was getting beat off 120 and is now rated 160. Now I’m not saying he’s 160 but he’s improving.”

The winner could now be kept busy, with a possible run in the Godstone Handicap Chase at next weekend’s Winter Million meeting at Lingfield entering the equation.

On future plans Moore added: “That (Kingmaker) could be (an option) but there is a race next week at Lingfield.

“I’m not the trainer and we will see what he says, but while the horses are in form you have to strike while the iron is hot.”

A return to Warwick saw Joe Tizzard’s Non Stop (16-5) back to winning ways in the opening Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

A winner over course and distance on hurdles debut, he could only finish third at Sandown last time. But he pounced with precision at the second-last and drew clear to record a nine-and-a-half-length victory.

Non Stop ridden by Tom Cannon goes on to win The Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Warwick
Non Stop ridden by Tom Cannon goes on to win The Mark Jackson & Neil Keenan Memorial Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

Winning rider Tom Cannon said: “He was a bit keen round Sandown the last day, obviously he had course form round here, although I think Sandown was a bit stiff for him.

“The race panned out well, the front ones came back to me and I probably got there a bit soon in the end. He had all the allowances, which obviously helped in these conditions, but he saw it out well.”

The concluding bumper went the way of Tom Lacey’s The Cox Express (100-30) who kept on well to grind down Yonconor for a one-and-a-half-length success.

Iwilldoit overcomes long absence with Classic display at Warwick

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Iwilldoit defied a huge weight and a monster absence to win the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase for Sam Thomas.

Thomas who along with prominent owner Dai Walters was involved in a helicopter crash in November, was celebrating his first winner of the calendar year.

Winner of the Welsh National last season, Thomas and connections have had to be patient as the 10-year-old suffered a setback.

Having his first outing for 383 days, Iwilldoit travelled incredibly well in the hands of Stan Sheppard.

It was Threeunderthrufive, one of only two in the race carrying more weight than the winner, who hit the front going down the back straight for the final time – but Sheppard was still sitting pretty.

He sent him to the front turning for home and looked a class apart as he soon put distance between himself and the others.

Willie Mullins’ Mr Incredible stayed on for second, beaten two and three-quarter lengths, with Notachance third.

Racing off a 7lb-higher mark than that which he won off at Chepstow, the 12-1 winner now looks a real Aintree contender.

Paddy Power introduced him at 25-1 for the Grand National.

“We didn’t get him in till a bit later unfortunately and he missed the Welsh National. But he’s eating well and we can train him a bit differently now,” said Thomas.

Sam Thomas and Stan Sheppard lift the Classic Chase trophy
Sam Thomas and Stan Sheppard lift the Classic Chase trophy (Nigel French/PA)

“Before the Welsh National last year he was hardly ridden. I’m just delighted for everyone. It’s emotional.

“He’s notoriously been a fussy eater and a worrier, but as the years have gone on he’s matured and knows what his job is – he’s certainly easier to train than he was.

“They are his conditions (heavy), the speed he was going at the start was the same speed he was going at the end, he’s very one-paced. It’s nice we can come and have a go in these big races, the softer the better for him and it is nice to see he is still able to win off that mark.

“He’s a star, he’s very genuine. You won’t find another horse to try like him – it’s very straightforward when then want to do it just like him.

“Credit to Stan who gave him a great ride and well done to team and Leah (Dix) who rides him every day. That’s what we do the job for and it is nice we can come here and take on the big boys and have a go.

“We had a good start to the season, from November onwards for obvious reasons (the crash) we struggled a bit. It’s not an easy game and you need these big winners to keep the wheel turning.”

Of an Aintree bid he said: “I don’t know, he needs another run over fences, he’s still not qualified to run in the Grand National. It’s been a whirlwind season so far, so we’ll enjoy this today and go from there.

“Maybe the Grand Steeple-Chase (French Grand National) in May would be an option. That’s what I was thinking before I came here today and you would get heavy ground. You need a Gold Cup horse to win that, but he could go and pick up some prize money.

“He would have to get an entry (for Aintree) though.”

Sheppard, who made it a double on the day when winning the last, described it as one of the biggest days in his career, with most of his other big-race glory coming behind closed doors while Covid restrictions were in place.

Stan Sheppard celebrates winning The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase on Iwildoit during the Wigley Group Classic Chase Day at Warwick Racecourse
Stan Sheppard celebrates winning The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase on Iwildoit during the Wigley Group Classic Chase Day at Warwick Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

He said: “It would be right up there with the Welsh National and Betfair Hurdle, it wouldn’t be far behind them and there were people here this time, so it slightly nudges it up past the Welsh National perhaps.

“It’s a fair training performance that is. I don’t know what he will do now as he isn’t qualified to run in the National, but to win that off 147, you are probably looking at 150 plus now and the Midlands National off that looks tough.”

On his celebration when crossing the line, he added: “There were no people at Chepstow and there was today. I know how much it means to everyone, they put all the hard work at home and I just get the good 10 minutes.”

Lanzarote hero West Balboa gives Bridget Andrews a winner to savour

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West Balboa just pipped Red Risk in a thrilling finish to the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton – capping a memorable afternoon for trainer Dan Skelton and providing Bridget Andrews with one of the most valuable winners of her career.

Skelton had stayed closer to home at Warwick where he was on hand to witness a Grade Two double courtesy of Galia Des Liteaux and Grey Dawning, both ridden by his brother, Harry.

It was Harry’s wife Andrews who was on board West Balboa, and the pair cruised into contention as one by one the field thinned out.

Still in it was Charles Byrnes’ ante-post favourite Green Glory, Up For Parol and Red Risk, ridden by 7lb conditional Freddie Gingell.

West Balboa (12-1) held a slight advantage on the run to the final flight but met it all wrong, seemingly handing the initiative to Red Risk, as Up For Parol weakened.

Bridget Andrew won the Lanzarote
Bridget Andrew won the Lanzarote (PA)

To the mare’s credit, though, she battled back gamely and while a photograph was needed to separate the pair, there was a short head in it.

“She gave me a dream ride and I couldn’t believe the race went so smoothly. I travelled into the race so well and ended up getting there too soon and was left on my own,” said Andrews, who has bounced back from a serious injury suffered in a fall at Warwick last year.

“I’ve always known she was good. After the Challow (second) last year we put her away and she’s come back better than ever, so much so that I think she can step forward again.”

She added: “It’s races like this that you come back for. I had a broken neck which resulted in a long break, but I was lucky it happened in the summer.

“I get as much joy watching Harry ride big winners and everyone at the yard were so incredibly supportive.”

It was a great day for Dan Skelton
It was a great day for Dan Skelton (Simon Marper/PA)

Speaking from Warwick Skelton said: “She was gutsy when she needed to be.

“She probably made life harder than she needed to at the last two hurdles, she just got under them. If she had pinged either of the last two life would have been easier.

“But I’m very happy, she’s obviously stepped forward from her last run and that Stage Star form from last year is top form so she was entitled to go and do that.

“She could come here for the Listed race on February 11- the race Marie’s Rock won last year. But I would be very respectful of the fact she has just put in a big effort so if she needed a bit more time then we would have to have a think.”

Skelton’s yard went quiet over the busy Christmas period but are well and truly back in form now.

“There was never any question in my mind there was a bug,” he said.

“But what they did, two weeks before Christmas when we went down to minus 8C, a few of them got a cold. That’s all it was, I was never ever concerned there was a bug, because they weren’t going round bleeding or all the other things when you get a proper bug.

“I just knew they were under par as an overall and a few individuals were well, well below where they should be. But we give them 14 days off and their flu vaccinations and they can come out of it well.

“Results are the most important part of it and they have gone our way. No grumbling.”

Grey Dawning takes step up in class in his stride

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Grey Dawning stayed on stoutly to throw his hat into the ring for the Cheltenham Festival with a gritty display in the Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick.

Winner of a handicap off just 123 at Kempton on Boxing Day, Dan Skelton’s charge faced a huge rise in class for the Grade Two event.

Won by the likes of Inglis Drever, Carruthers, The New One and Willoughby Court in the past, the race can certainly throw up a top-class performer.

On paper at least it looked wide open, with Gary Moore’s Givega, related to the great Quevega, sent off the 3-1 favourite in a field of seven.

Harry Skelton returns triumphant
Harry Skelton returns triumphant (Nigel French/PA)

Lucinda Russell’s Snake Roll tried to stretch the field but his jumping fell apart down the back straight when Paul Nicholls’ Knowsley Road, Tom Lacey’s Ginny’s Destiny and the eventual winner all pulled clear.

Grey Dawning (9-2) briefly looked in trouble at one stage and then when Harry Skelton went for a gap between the other two, it began to close.

Skelton had enough horse underneath him, though, and the grey pulled clear in testing conditions to win by five lengths from Ginny’s Destiny.

A delighted winning trainer said: “We’ve always liked him. It’s pretty obvious to say a horse that has won two bumpers you are quite excited about as a novice hurdler, but you’ve got to go and convert that and I think he has done. It was no disgrace to get beat first time, we needed the run a little bit then, but the horse of (David) Pipe’s that beat us is a good horse in his own right.

“This horse has got progressive now and he’s just smart, he’s very smart.

“I had to go to Kempton because he was so well handicapped and I knew I wanted to come here with something. I had Pembroke in mind, but I just think he wants to stick at two miles for now so he’ll go to the Rossington Main next weekend. And when I felt that way about Pembroke, I started to feel differently about Grey Dawning.

“He’ll go any trip and he can go further. Harry said he wasn’t loving the ground – he gets away with it, but he wasn’t loving it.

“In fairness it’s probably good that it has rained, he probably wouldn’t be at home on real tacky ground, at least it was a bit loose. He wouldn’t want to race here on Tuesday, I think he’d find that really unpleasant. He’s going the right way though that’s for sure.”

He went on: “My immediate reaction is he should be going three miles rather than two and a half. We’ll enter him in the Albert Bartlett and if we weren’t happy with that we would go to Aintree. We will see how he is and how the landscape looks for Cheltenham, but I would be highly surprised if he ran at Cheltenham if it was anything other than the Friday.

“Over three miles you could probably ride him a bit more and arrive later on the scene. In a weird way, what happened at the last probably isn’t the worst thing in the world to get a bump and make him concentrate a little bit because when he hit the front at Kempton he ran all over the shop. He’s probably just improving a bit as well and getting the hang of racing.”

Pic D’Orhy powers to Silviniaco Conti win for Nicholls and Cobden

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Pic D’Orhy stamped his class on the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton to give Paul Nicholls a third win in the Grade Two in four years and set up a potential clash with Shishkin next time out.

Fresh from success in the Peterborough Chase, Pic D’Orhy (6-4 favourite) looked the one to beat and so it proved, as bar one mistake before the turn into the home straight he never looked in any danger.

Harry Cobden, enjoying a dream run for his boss in recent weeks with big wins on Bravemansgame, Hermes Allen and Tahmuras, oozed confidence throughout.

Coral cut the winner into 14-1 from 25s for the Ryanair Chase and on this form he would seem well worth his place in the field.

Paint The Dream attempted to keep tabs on him, but by the second-last had cried enough and was eventually beaten for second by Clondaw Castle.

Angels Breath, having his first run for Sam Thomas and first outing for three years, understandably ran keen before eventually being pulled up.

“I walked the course this morning and was just a bit worried about the ground, but he liked it,” said Cobden.

“He missed the fourth-last but aside from that was very assured.

“He’s improved and is a smart horse, but I think he’s a few pounds off being a Grade One (horse).

“I don’t think the Ryanair Chase will be his thing and there are good races at Aintree and the other festivals.

“Before that I think Ascot over two-miles-five (Ascot Chase next month) would suit him. He should be able to make the best use of his jumping around there.”

Pic D'Orhy has looked a better horse this season
Pic D’Orhy has looked a better horse this season (Tim Goode/PA)

Winning owner Johnny de la Hey said: “He has definitely grown up and he is a bigger, stronger horse. We were pretty worried as I had a few texts with Paul this morning about the ground and there was 10 millimetres last night and we thought that was going to be too soft.

“He has put it all together now and that opens up loads of options for us. We love that race (the Betfair Ascot Chase, which the owner won with Cyrname in 2019) and that would be the obvious choice to go to and then Aintree after that.

“It is probably the right way of saying it that he could nick one (a Grade One). He is rated 158 and he will probably go up a few pounds so he is not a million miles away from being a proper Grade One horse.

“Paul has got some good horses to benchmark him against and I’d say he is just below a Bravemansgame but we are still pretty happy. That is his fourth Grade Two and if we can keep picking those up, why not.”

Galia Des Liteaux gallops to taking Warwick triumph

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Galia Des Liteaux never put a foot wrong as she jumped her rivals into submission in the eventmasters.co.uk Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick.

Dan Skelton has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the seven-year-old mare, and when she won a Listed event for mares on her chasing debut the sky looked the limit.

Upped to Grade One level for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase over Christmas she almost fell at the second and then made another bad mistake at the fifth before she was eventually pulled up.

Connections were content to put a line through that run, insisting that her jumping was sound in the main – and so it proved on this occasion as she put in some big leaps on the way round.

Paul Nicholls’ Complete Unknown was giving vain chase, as was Gordon Elliott’s The Goffer, but neither could ever get on terms.

With the last fence bypassed, Harry Skelton kept Galia Des Liteaux (11-4) up to her work to take Grade Two honours by 13 lengths.

“She made a very bad mistake at the second jump in the Kauto Star and I don’t think anyone would really have beaten Thyme Hill that day. It’s almost a blessing in disguise that she did that because it meant she didn’t have a hard race,” said Dan Skelton.

“I was surprised with what happened at Kempton and because she made the first mistake she made the second one. If she hadn’t made the first one she wouldn’t have made the second one. When you are trying to chase those good horses and making mistakes it’s not going to happen, so Harry did the right thing pulling her up because she wasn’t going. If he had kept going she possibly wouldn’t have been here today.

Galia Des Liteaux (right) in full flight under Harry Skelton
Galia Des Liteaux (right) in full flight under Harry Skelton (Nigel French/PA)

“There’s nothing better than a good lady in your corner. I’m very lucky I have my wife, my daughter and now Galia Des Liteaux as well. We’ve done well with the mares over the years, Roxana probably leads the team – she won a Grade One – but this one is obviously very, very good.

“I know she wants slow ground and we know she stays. She won at Bangor because she’s good. She didn’t win there because two miles suits her, she won there because she’s good. So I was always confident and she’s going in the right direction as a chaser.

“We will be respectful of her efforts there today. It is very easy to say we will go for the Towton (at Wetherby) in three weeks’ time because it will be heavy and it will suit her, but I harbour more respect for her than that.

“We could wait another two weeks and consider the Reynoldstown (at Ascot) then that’s fine. If you got a really, really soft Cheltenham then it would come into consideration, but then you would have to skip the Reynoldstown because you couldn’t do both.

“Then I would perhaps get a bit adventurous and see what mares’ races are available over the other side of the Irish Sea because I can’t see any over here jumping off the page at me at the moment other than the Festival.

“I don’t think she won’t perform well on it (better ground), I just think she’s really, really effective in that sort of ground and sometimes when you have a horse who is really effective in it, they are super effective – they can outrun themselves by 20lb or more and I think she is a horse who is reallyy suited by bad ground.

“She’s a lovely mare with a great attitude.”

All eyes set to be on exciting Impaire Et Passe at Punchestown

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Impaire Et Passe, who made such an impression when winning on his debut for Willie Mullins at Naas, aims to live up to his reputation in the Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the French import blitzed the field by 18 lengths in a race which did see several hurdles omitted due to low sun.

He steps up to Grade Two level and takes on Gordon Elliott’s unbeaten mare Shecouldbeanything in a field of five, but he is set to go off a very short-priced favourite.

Assistant trainer Patrick Mullins said: “Some horses thrive after winning a race and you can see them grow in confidence and Impaire Et Passe has come out of the race really well and I’d like to think he will progress from it.

“We’d like to think that he will be at the top end of his division.”

Paul Townend was on board at Naas and will be again.

“He made a big impact when he won his maiden hurdle at Naas,” Townend told his Ladbrokes blog.

“It probably wasn’t the strongest of races but the way he won it was very impressive. He’s a lot better on the course than he shows us at home and that is no problem. That is the way you want them to be.

“His maiden was over two and a quarter miles, but he is back to two miles here. I don’t think that is going to cause a huge issue for him.

“We have to give 8lb to three of our rivals but if he is going to be the horse that we think he could be, I think he can handle that. I am really looking forward to getting back on him and he is my best ride of the day.”

The race has been moved to first on the card in an attempt to run it in the best possible conditions. The ground is already heavy and the maiden hurdle has been divided with maximum fields in each division.

Ha D'or (left) in action at the Punchestown Festival
Ha D’or (left) in action at the Punchestown Festival (Brian Lawless/PA)

Townend has picked Ha D’or over Glengouly in the Grade Three Madigan Group Novice Chase.

“He was very impressive when winning at Fairyhouse on his first run over fences,” he said. “He seemed much more manageable and relaxed that day than he had been last year.

“It is a competitive race. It is a hot little contest with Minella Crooner, Journey With Me, Glengouly, Impervious in there, who are all last time out winners.

“However, I think my horse has improved from the level he was running at over hurdles last year, and that was a pretty good level. Any improvement on that will put him bang in the mix here.”

Blood Destiny enters Triumph Hurdle picture with stylish success

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Blood Destiny was cut to second-favourite behind stablemate Lossiemouth for the JCB Triumph Hurdle following an all-the-way win in the Race Displays Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The Willie Mullins-trained juvenile was an easy winner on his Irish debut at Cork but was facing much sterner opposition on this occasion.

Nevertheless, Blood Destiny was still sent off the 8-13 favourite and as soon as Paul Townend bounced him into an early lead the result was never in any doubt.

Heading down the back straight Blood Destiny held an advantage of 10 lengths although by the second-last the chasing pack, headed by Nusret, had closed right up.

However, as soon as Townend took a look behind him and shook the reins Blood Destiny quickened away to win by 18 lengths from Common Practice, who caught Nusret from second.

Davy Russell, having his first ride back since returning to the saddle, could only finish fifth on Jazzy Matty.

“He has obviously improved again from Cork. He just has a lovely way of going about it,” said Townend.

“He was idle enough and missed a couple of hurdles but he was doing nothing. It was just a matter of getting over the last couple.

“I slowed down when they caught up to me, and then gave him one squeeze and he galloped down to the last and away through it again. He didn’t have a hard race there either.”

When asked if he could compare him to Lossiemouth he added: “The two of them are good. It’s hard to compare juveniles, the amount he has improved from Cork and where she is, she’s doing things right.

“It’s nice to have the two of them.”

Betfair make Blood Destiny a 5-1 chance behind Lossiemouth, their 6-5 favourite.

Flame Bearer gave those who took his cramped 2-5 odds a scare when ploughing through the final fence, but thankfully he was a distance clear at the time and gave Townend and Mullins a double in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.

“It’s funny how quick you can say your prayers!” joked Townend.

“I was just praying he was underneath me when he came down. He was magic up to that.

“There was a bit of noise down there and he just got it wrong. You’d have to love the way he sorted himself out as well. He found a leg and didn’t fall over.

“I was looking for them down the back and was thinking, ‘can I just not see them’. He goes a nice gallop and I think trip-wise he’s versatile as well.

“It was a no-contest from early on, but at least he showed us there what he’s showing us at home.”

Mullins made it a treble when Westport Cove (4-5 favourite), ridden by his son Patrick, won the closing bumper.

Rebel Gold (5-1) was a popular winner of the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase for Patrick Foley.

Foley only took over the yard from his father, Tom, who trained Danoli, on his death in February 2021 and was celebrating his biggest success.

“That was a great thrill. Me and my father always thought this lad had a big race in him,” said Foley.

“He was the last winner my father had in Gowran so it’s extra special to get a big one out of him today.

“We were so unlucky that he hadn’t won a big one by now, he’d been placed so many times. He’s so consistent and the handicapper hasn’t always been easy on him. Whatever happens after today, it doesn’t matter, it’s a bonus.”

Shishkin ‘back in action’ and pencilled in for Ascot Chase return

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Nicky Henderson is looking towards the Betfair Ascot Chase in February for the next outing of Shishkin.

The Seven Barrows handler revealed earlier this month his nine-year-old had “flipped his palate” in a piece of work and would need 10 days off while the problem was resolved, ruling out a step up in distance for the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.

Shishkin – beaten into third behind Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek Chase on his reappearance this season – will now try a trip in excess of two miles for the first time over fences in the Grade One feature at Ascot next month.

Nicky Henderson with Shishkin at Seven Barrows
Nicky Henderson with Shishkin at Seven Barrows (Tim Goode/PA)

Giving an update on plans at Kempton Park on Saturday, Henderson said: “He’s had his palate tightened and the procedure is so simple, it’s like tightening a screw that’s come loose. They call it a wind op, but in fact it’s as far from a wind op as you can get, and he’s back in action.

“The race we’re looking at is the Ascot Chase (February 18) over two-miles-five. The timing looks good.

“The first time I knew he wanted two and a half was against Energumene when he was out of his comfort zone but still stayed on to beat the others.

“We found out we had a problem but after a couple of reverses he’s ready to come back, and I would say it’s odds-on we head for the Ryanair (at Cheltenham).

“If this works we might regret not entering him for the Queen Mother, but if we wanted to run we could supplement him.

“We’ve had very good horses like Sprinter (Sacre) who have had to come back, and he’s the latest.”

Arclight stays unbeaten with victory at Kempton

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Arclight strolled to an easy victory in the Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” For Free Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.

A winner on her hurdling debut at Doncaster, she was sent off the 8-15 favourite facing just three rivals.

Her task was then made even easier when Regally Blonde, the second choice of punters, was a very early casualty.

Nico de Boinville decided to keep things simple on Nicky Henderson’s filly, who was rated 76 on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott, and the result was never in doubt as she strolled to a 43-length win.

Nicky Henderson with delighted connections
Nicky Henderson with delighted connections (PA)

“It was worrying when the horse galloped loose because you don’t know which way they will go. Your jockey needs to be thinking, and mine was,” said Henderson.

“She’s a sweet filly who is game and genuine. When the other one with respectable form on the Flat went we were handed it, and I can’t pretend she liked that ground.

“But I told the owners we had to come here, and now there’s a race for her at Doncaster on Friday week.”

Only four also went to post for the Coral Get Closer To The Action Novices’ Hurdle which saw the Jonjo O’Neill team prevail with Collectors Item.

For much of the race Harry Cobden looked sure to win on Paul Nicholls’ odds-on Makin’yourmindup but a mistake at the last saw him lose momentum and Collectors Item (11-10) stayed on well to win by two lengths.

“Before this we thought he would stay very well and the slow ground helped him. It was very hard work,” said winning rider Jonjo O’Neill junior.

“He missed the second-last and is still very much a work in progress as he’s a shell of a horse.

“Three miles looks his bag, and it would have to be very soft for him to go back to two and a half.”

Annsam jumped his rivals into the ground
Annsam jumped his rivals into the ground (PA)

The Evan Williams-trained Annsam made every yard of the running in the Coral Racing Club Handicap Chase.

A fair sixth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, Adam Wedge took no prisoners from the front and quickly worked up a sizeable advantage which he was not to relinquish.

The 7-2 chance beat Smarty Wild by 17 lengths.

“The reality is that old ground stopped a lot of the horses behind us, and I hope the handicapper factors that in when he reassesses him. I feel it would be wrong to get carried away with the performance,” said Williams.

“I would say that ground was hard work, but this is a horse that wins races whether over fences or hurdles. He ran a great race at Newbury and will come back here for the race he was pulled up in last season (Coral Trophy Handicap Chase) next month.”

Henderson and De Boinville ensured they made it a double when Quick Draw justified 5-4 favouritism with the minimum of fuss in the Coral Bet Bundles Handicap Chase.

“They we’re going a bit quick for him early on in that ground, but he kept jumping away and has a lot of ability,” said Henderson.

“Barney (Clifford, clerk of the course) says there’s a race for him at the meeting they have straight after Cheltenham, and that should suit. He’s not a horse for those big-field handicaps at the Festival.”