Sky Bet win with Cooper’s Cross is one to cherish for Coltherd family

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Cooper’s Cross provided the father and son combination of Stuart and Sam Coltherd with the biggest wins of their career in the £100,000 Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.

The eight-year-old was only rerouted to Town Moor after Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase last week was lost to frost and the Coltherds were left thanking the weather gods for once.

Based at Selkirk on the Scottish Borders, it completed a good day for northern jumping with the first two home in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham, Ahoy Senor and Sounds Russian, as well as Tommy’s Oscar and Maximilian at Doncaster all being trained in the either in the north of England or Scotland.

Cooper’s Cross has been progressing steadily of late, but needed to prove his stamina over three miles.

Sam Coltherd’s biggest problem was not getting to the front too soon, so well was he travelling.

When Tea For Free fell two out when still in there pitching, and Ga Law crashed out at the last, Cooper’s Cross (16-1) needed to be driven out to beat Cap Du Nord, placed in the race for a third time, by a length.

Stuart Coltherd said: “The top weight (Dusart) came out at final declarations otherwise Sam wouldn’t have been able to ride. It meant he crept in off bottom weight.

Stuart Coltherd welcomes back his son on the winner
Stuart Coltherd welcomes back his son on the winner (Richard Sellers/PA)

“He’s always shown us the pace to travel at home but we’ve hoped the step up in trip would do the job, we always thought there was a big one in him.

“Knowing the horse and knowing Sam, I could see he was taking him back and it was whether he stayed three miles.

“He was meant to be in the Peter Marsh at Haydock last week so it’s a good job that was off!

“We had Captain Redbeard two or three years ago who was a good horse, we’ve got about 30 in training, you can only go with what you’ve got.”

He went on: “He’s come back with a cut but I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, it’s just a wee nick.

“I don’t know what next, he’d struggle to get in the National. There’ll be something at Ayr for him.

“This is our biggest win by a long way. I’ve been raining 20-odd years but since Sam turned professional we’ve tried to have a few more for him and got our heads down.

“For Sam to ride him as well, it means everything.”

Regarding fallen horses and jockeys, clerk of the course Paul Barker said: “Tea For Three was taken back in the horse ambulance but is fine.

“Lilly Pinchin has been taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary for further examination on a suspected broken left clavicle (collar bone).

“The other jockeys are OK but stood themselves down.”

Maximilian promises plenty in the long term with Doncaster triumph

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Graded winners are a little rarer these days for Donald McCain since the glory years of Peddlers Cross and Overturn, so he was cherishing the success of Maximilian in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

Having lost his unbeaten record at Sandown last time out, McCain gave the seven-year-old a wind operation but openly admitted he thought it was going to be a big ask for his charge a long way from home on Town Moor.

Champion jockey Brian Hughes is that for a reason, though, and nursed the 13-2 chance into contention approaching the second-last in the Grade Two affair.

Hurricane Bay and Stay Away Fay were tough competition, but Maximilian stuck gamely to his task and prevailed by a length.

He was roared back into the paddock by scores of members of his Owners Group syndicate, a group who have supported McCain well.

McCain is not struck on a Cheltenham bid, however, and Aintree seems more likely.

“I nearly walked away with a circuit to run. He’s got that in him, he can switch off,” said McCain.

“He’s one of those staying hurdlers who races off the bridle and saves plenty for himself.

“If he’d gone clear he’d have probably pulled up, like those good staying hurdlers when he hits the front he thinks he’s done enough.”

Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners
Maximilian and jockey Brian Hughes with winning owners (Ricard Sellers/PA)

He went on: “He hated the ground at Sandown, he wasn’t right afterwards but he was still third in a Grade Two, we’ve always had a lot of faith in him but he’ll never be flash.

“We’ll go for a big novice, but I’m not a massive Cheltenham fan. He’s a long-term horse and I’ve not got hundreds of these. Aintree would be first choice, I think.

“He jumps like he’ll jump a fence, but I just wonder if he’s one of those real staying hurdlers.

“The Owners Group are great, I’m lucky to have a few for them. It’s the same wherever they run. It just works.”

Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton
Tommy’s Oscar with Ann and Ian Hamilton (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Gold Tweet hits the jackpot for France in Cleeve Hurdle

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There was a win for France at Cheltenham when Gold Tweet ran out a convincing victor in the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle.

Searching for his fourth win in the key Stayers’ Hurdle trial, the eye was drawn to the smooth-travelling 13-8 favourite Paisley Park as the pace began to quicken coming down the hill for a second time.

But with Aidan Coleman soon pushing away without response aboard Emma Lavelle’s stable star, it was left to Gabriel Leenders’ French raider to cruise into contention and he overtook long-time leader Dashel Drasher shortly after the last before registering a cosy three-length success.

Although sent off at 14-1 there was no fluke about the victory and Gold Tweet was introduced into the Stayers’ Hurdle market at 8-1 by race sponsors Paddy Power – although connections will need to decide whether to supplement the six-year-old for a return to Prestbury Park in the spring.

Leenders said: “It is a dream. I was a lad for David Pipe and Nicky Henderson and a long time ago I said I would come for a run here with a horse and today we are here and we win – it is a dream.

“In France I have won a Group One, but this is the first time I have a runner in England.

“He travelled well and ran a brilliant race. In my head this horse was the first one that I thought had the right profile to run well here. The way he was acting and running in France, we always thought he had the profile to run here.

“He has not been entered in the Stayers’ Hurdle, so we don’t have any plans. We don’t know.”

Festival Trials Day – Cheltenham RacecoPaisley Park did not quite show his beste – Saturday 28th January
Paisley Park did not quite show his best (David Davies/PA)

Emma Lavelle was left a little perplexed by Paisley Park’s run.

“It is a little bit of a head scratcher as he has travelled almost better than he has travelled in a race, but he just didn’t hIt the line running. It is hard to know.
I’d love to say ‘this is why’, but I just don’t have an answer,” she said.

“We’ll see. He seems fine and wasn’t blowing excessively or anything. He’s still had a week less than he would normally have between the Long walk and here, but it is just an odd one, because he travelled so well through the race and was handier than normal because he was travelling.

“I don’t know what the sectionals were, but it is almost as if he didn’t get a chance to hit his flat spot and then stay on. We will go back and have a look at him.

“The long Walk may have had more of an effect, and we had a week less to get over it. It is hard to say, but he hasn’t run terribly, he just hasn’t run in a normal Paisley way.

“He will come back here (Stayers’ Hurdle), absolutely.”

In contrast, Jeremy Scott was thrilled with the run of the versatile Dashel Drasher.

“He has run a brilliant race and we were just outsprinted up the hill. I didn’t think they went terribly quick early on and it didn’t seem to play to Paisley Park’s strengths,” he said.

“We bumped into one that is obviously a lot better than we gave credit for before the race. We beat the horse we thought we had to beat in Paisley Park, but unfortunately we just bumped into another one.

“I think we will come here for the Stayers’ Hurdle and have a lovely day out. If we can tweak a few things at home maybe we can get a little bit of improvement.

“I wouldn’t rule out going back over fences, but the Ascot Chase is looking so competitive now let’s get him fresh and come back here. Let’s hope it tips it down with rain.”

Epatante in cruise control for confidence-boosting triumph at Doncaster

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Nicky Henderson’s 2020 champion hurdler Epatante had no trouble in getting back to winning ways dropped in class for the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle.

A multiple Grade One winner against the boys, she has found life tough this season – taking on her esteemed stablemate Constitution Hill in both the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdles.

With races at Cheltenham and Haydock called off in recent weeks due to the adverse weather she was back in against her sex at Doncaster and the red-hot 2-9 favourite to oblige.

Nico de Boinville – on board for the first time since winning the 2021 Christmas Hurdle on her – never had a moment of worry and let her off the leash approaching the last on the way to a six-and a-half-length win from Salsada.

“She felt great today, jumped really well and travelled away great, it’s nice for her to pick one up like this,” said De Boinville.

“It gives you an idea how good Constitution Hill is, but the team at home had her in really good shape for this today.

“Aidan (Coleman) said she felt fantastic at Kempton and she did today, it will be interesting to she where they decide to go at Cheltenham.”

Nico de Boinville and Rachel McMahon with Epatante
Nico de Boinville and Rachel McMahon with Epatante (Richard Sellers/PA)

Rachel McMahon rides the mare every day, but is currently out of action, as she explained.

“A horse called Love Bite bit my finger and broke it,” she said.

“I’d normally ride her every day and we’d love a few more like her, she’s so tough and her main aim today was to get her confidence back.

“It could be worse, Constitution Hill could be in another yard. You’d think getting beaten out of sight by him would have sickened her off, but not a bit of it.

“I think she’s certainly as good as last year and without him she’d have won another two Grade Ones.”

Give Me A Cuddle (blue) forges to the front
Give Me A Cuddle (blue) forges to the front (Richard Sellers/PA)

De Bonville had already won on Give Me A Cuddle (15-2) in the first division of the Happy 60th Birthday Neil Young Handicap Hurdle.

It was a welcome winner for Neil King who had endured a very quiet start tot he season.

Good Bye was rewarded for a string of consistent efforts when streaking away with the first division.

The Sara Ender-trained winner was sent off 7-1 under Philip Armson.

Ender said: “He’s a star, he’s never been out of the first four since we got him but he usually doesn’t want to go past!

“We’ve just sweetened him up a bit and the past few weeks his confidence has grown and grown.

“The only time he’d won for us before today was because a loose horse helped him up the run-in! Today is the first time he’s wanted to go and do it on his own.”

Ahoy Senor back to his best for emotional Cotswold Chase success

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Ahoy Senor put himself in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture when securing an emotional success for Lucinda Russell in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.

Runner-up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on his only previous visit to Prestbury Park, the eight-year-old had struggled this season in open company and was winning for the first time since taking the Mildmay Novices’ Chase four starts ago.

Derek Fox was content to track Bryony Frost and Frodon on the first circuit and although Sounds Russian shot clear during the second lap of the New Course, a juddering error from Ruth Jefferson’s charge four from home gave the pack chance to close the gap and most crucially Ahoy Senor the opportunity to ensure an all-northern finish to this Grade Two contest.

Neck and neck jumping the last, the duo were soon embroiled in a terrific tussle up the Cheltenham hill with Ahoy Senor prevailing by one and a half lengths and Grand National hero Noble Yeats a further length back in third.

Betfair went 10-1 from 50s for the blue riband in March, while Coral offer slightly bigger odds of 12-1.

Russell said: “I’m really pleased. It is just the excitement of having a horse of that quality again. He’s always been good, but he just had to learn about it and today I think he just came of age.

Derek Fox talks to the media
Derek Fox talks to the media (David Davies/PA)

“In my mind, I thought he was going to take a lead and when he came into the paddock, Derek said I’m just going to go forward, and I thought ‘great’, and actually he was right, because it let him get his freshness out of him and then let Frodon give him a lead.

“He is just fantastic with the horse and they both trust each other and the confidence that he has got has been fantastic. I’m delighted and it is nice to see our monster back.

“I’m just pleased with him as I thought his jumping was OK and when he came round that bottom corner and accelerated, I did get a bit excited.

“I really hope he’ll go to the Gold Cup. Whatever happens, he will definitely get an entry.”

The Kinross-based trainer lost her father Peter this week and spoke poignantly in the winner’s enclosure at how much Ahoy Senor had meant to him.

“It is very emotional. My dad was a fantastic person and he was so proud. He’d been ill for a year, I remember being in tears at Newbury when he (Ahoy Senor) won the John Francome Novices’ Chase,” she said.

“It was good in a way, because I spent a year saying thank you to dad and I appreciated him.

“As he went on in his life, racing meant more to him. He’d talk to me about about which races we were going to and he’d phone me before the race and after the races and I will miss that intensely.

“This horse, he was interested in and loved and really wanted him to do well.

“Dad ran down a bit. We had two winners at Kelso and he was a little bit frailer at that point and he only went to hospital for 24 hours.

“To everyone, just say thank you to your dad, just tell them how much they mean to you, because I had the chance to do that. Say thank you. It was dad that set me up, dad that has given me that desire, that determination. He’d be very proud today and I’m really going to miss not phoning him on the way home.”

Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant, said: “I’ve said he is the best horse we have ever trained then you begin to doubt yourself, but things eventually come right in the end and that is what sport is about.

“Using a cricket analogy when he gets it right he is like Ian Botham, when he gets it wrong he can be back in the pavilion out for 10.

“He is clearly a horse with a lot of ability, but you just need a lot of luck. He is good enough to contest a Gold Cup – whether it is this year or not, I don’t know.

“His death (that of Russell’s father) is bigger than a horse race. I remember riding a horse called Gambling Prince whose owner died and I went and won on it. I do think they do sometimes smile down and that there is a God up there that helps.”

Ruth Jefferson was pleased by the efforts of her brave runner-up, but is still to decide if the Gold Cup is the right destination for her consistent eight-year-old.

“We’re still between a rock and a hard place – we’re no further forward,” said Jefferson.

“It was a really good performance, but I think there is more strength in depth with the Irish horses.

“I know Minella Indo and A Plus Tard are potentially getting older and I know last year’s race was also a bit of a sprint finish. But Galopin Des Champs has to come out at Leopardstown next weekend, so we will see what he does and then when we have more facts we can make a better decision.

Sounds Russian was a brave runner-up in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase
Sounds Russian was a brave runner-up in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Mike Egerton/PA)

“On the whole I’m very happy. He travelled and jumped and Sean (Quinlan) gave him a fabulous ride. When they slowed it down he did the right thing, we just got beat by the better horse on the day.

“He deserves to win a big prize, I don’t think it will be a Gold Cup, but he can try.”

Meanwhile one horse who will line-up on March 17 is Noble Yeats, who will take in the blue riband en route to a defence of his National crown.

“You can’t be unhappy with that run,” said owner Robert Waley-Cohen. “The horses at level weights finished behind and the horses behind were conceding weight, and he finished very strongly.

Noble Yeats at Cheltenham
Noble Yeats at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

“He has won over two miles two, two miles seven, three mile one and four mile two, so what his trip is we don’t know, but probably further is better.

“That was important today, as he gets experience on the New Course, which is the same track as the Gold Cup.

“The plan is the Gold Cup and then the Grand National – and I don’t envy the handicapper his dilemma.

“He never looks very flashy. He just keeps jumping away. He came up that hill well.”

Edwardstone and Energumene camps regrouping for March rematch

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Edwardstone will head straight to the Queen Mother Champion Chase following his narrow defeat in the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

Alan King’s Arkle hero was returning to the scene of his finest hour when having to settle for a silver medal in the rearranged Grade One.

However, there was plenty of encouragement to take from the head defeat with the nine-year-old actually edging ahead of winner Editeur Du Gite on the run-in before Gary Moore’s likeable front-runner wrestled back the advantage in the shadow of the post.

He will now swerve a previously mooted engagement in the Game Spirit at Newbury and having been made the general 7-4 joint-favourite for the Cheltenham Festival, now has his with sights fixed firmly on a return to Prestbury Park in March.

King said: “He was a little bit fresh. He started to tank down the hill and Tom (Cannon) said he just had to bring him back a wee bit. He probably used a bit of energy getting there and thought probably at the last, we would go away and win. But full marks to the winner.

“Listen, I’m happy. I needed to get this into him today to try to get him ready for the March meeting.

“He will go straight to the Festival. I didn’t want to wait for the Game Spirit, because he needed a run today and then if Newbury was abandoned I’d have been in a bit of trouble. He is perfectly fit, don’t get me wrong, but he needed this to take the edge off him.

“The Kempton race, he only got to the fifth and that did nothing for him, really.

“He was just a bit gassy today. I did stress to Tom beforehand that this was not the be all and end all today and I’m perfectly happy with him.”

Energumene faded into third following an error at the last, but Willie Mullins was far from despondent and hopes the defending champion can thrive once again on the big day in March.

Energumene during the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Energumene during the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

He said: “Up to the second-last we were running a really good race. The winner won on merit and I loved the way that he won after being passed and it was a great performance from the second (Edwardstone) too.

“Hopefully that run will get him used to the new English white fences, we’ve schooled over them at home but he didn’t seem as happy over them today as he did last March. You saw what he did at the first and he was a little bit long at one or two. It’s different and I didn’t expect him to be that way as he’d done plenty of schooling, but he obviously did.

“I think the winner set the pace and won, it was a great performance and I’m not going to take anything away from him. We weren’t able to beat him on the day. We just hope that there’s a different result on the next day for us.”

Tommy’s Oscar delight for Ann and Ian Hamilton at Doncaster

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Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Editeur Du Gite edges Edwardstone in Clarence House classic

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Editeur Du Gite announced himself as a Champion Chase contender with a heroic performance in the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

Gary Moore’s nine-year-old was not in the original line-up for the Grade One contest when it was due to be run at Ascot seven days ago and was only added into the mix when connections stumped up £2,250 to supplement him for the rearranged race on Monday.

The contest was seen as star-studded clash between Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero Energumene and Alan King’s Arkle champion Edwardstone in the build up and although the headline acts failed to land the spoils, the race more than lived up to its billing.

Editeur Du Gite (right) ridden by Niall Houlihan clears a fence before going on to win the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Editeur Du Gite (right) ridden by Niall Houlihan clears a fence before going on to win the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

The 14-1 winner took up his customary front-running role in the hands of Niall Houlihan and led the field along with the market principals willing to bide their time, Tom Cannon anchoring Edwardstone in rear with a target on Paul Townend and Energumene’s back.

But as was the case at Kempton at Christmas when Editeur Du Gite snatched the Desert Orchid Chase from the front, he was still striding on strongly when the field turned for home and alarm bells started to ring for the major players.

Townend required a big leap from Energumene to have any chance of victory at the last and when the Tony Bloom-owned nine-year-old put down, it left only Edwardstone to chase Houlihan and his willing mount up the Cheltenham hill.

Although Cannon edged his way to a narrow advantage with the line looming, Editeur Du Gite fought back just in time to secure a gutsy head success.

It was an emotional win for connections who tasted Champion Chase success with Sire De Grugy in 2014 and their latest two-mile chasing star was cut to 5-1 with both Paddy Power and Betfair for that Cheltenham Festival championship race.

Representing his father, Josh Moore was asked to compare Sire De Grugy to the winner.

“They are quite different sort of horses. To have a horse work as Sire De Grugy at home – I remember we used to have to get milers of the Flat to lead him in his work, because he was such a good work horse,” he said.

“It would be the same with this fellow. He works unbelievably well. He is definitely not far off him, anyway.

“He was there on his own merits. The good thing is Edwardstone came to him and looked like he was going to go on and win the race, but he has fought back at the end. I was a little surprised to see that, in the sense that when he was a novice he used to be a weak finisher at the end of his races and he is actually finishing his races much better as he’s got older.

“Perhaps he has got better stamina now. It could be a maturity thing.”

Editeur Du Gite in full flight
Editeur Du Gite in full flight (David Davies/PA)

He went on: “There are three in the Champion Chase now. He definitely has the right to be in it. Not so long ago we thought we would go for the Game Spirit and then wait for the Celebration at Sandown and miss Cheltenham because the others would be targeting it.

“All being well, he will come back for the Champion now, I should think.”

On the winning ride of Houlihan, Moore added: “It is a big win for Niall as that is his first Grade One, and it was probably his first big winner that he rode aboard this horse at Kempton Park so it is nice for him. If I’m honest with you he is an absolute gentleman to ride in a race.

“Niall has got confidence him as well so it works out well. I remember I won a novice chase on him at Newbury and I said to dad we should go for the Red Rum at Aintree now. I know that was a handicap but he won that race well that day. I’ve always thought he is up to this level. Dad is watching at home today. He would be jumping up and down screaming, but I don’t know if he would be in tears.

“One of the owners Trevor Jacobs has been in a hospital for nearly six months so it is good for him. He is making progress which is good though.”

Houlihan said: “It is unreal really. The horse tries so hard and for you. Every time a horse came to me he stuck his neck out, especially when he got headed after the last.

“To come from behind up the hill here shows true guts. I felt about 50 yards from the line he was coming for me and trying for me and he stuck his head out. I wasn’t sure crossing the line, but thankfully they called my number.

“I’m chuffed. It is brilliant that they put the faith in me on a horse like him and to pull it off is great. You just sit on him and he does a lot for me. He jumps brilliantly and travels well. He is just a jockey’s dream really.

“I thought we are taking on the two best two-milers in the world really if you look at it. I thought if he puts up a good performance he can go for the Champion Chase, where he goes next I’m not quite sure. He has done that the hard way.”

Back On The Lash back in front in Cheltenham cross country

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Back On The Lash defended his Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase as Festival hero Delta Work had to settle for third at Cheltenham.

Delta Work was the villain of the piece at Prestbury Park in March when defeating Tiger Roll in the dual Grand National winner’s final outing, and Gordon Elliott’s veteran was sent off the 5-2 favourite for handicap action on this occasion.

However, the task of conceding weight to all but one of his 15 rivals took its toll and allowed Martin Keighley’s charge to taste success over the cross-country circuit for a second time.

Back On The Lash ridden by Sean Bowen (centre) clears a fence before going on to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Back On The Lash ridden by Sean Bowen (centre) clears a fence before going on to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Sean Bowen expertly navigated the unique course in the centre of the track to bring the 6-1 shot home three-quarters of a length in front of Deise Aba.

Coral went 16-1 for the nine-year-old to thrive again at the Festival in March, with Betfair 20-1.

Keighley said: “He loves it here, doesn’t he? If anything Sean got there too soon! It was a great ride.

“We were so gutted to lose the first two races around here this season, he ran a good solid race here at the November meeting (when third in the Jewson Handicap Chase) and we’ve just kept him for this race since.

“It’s worked out well and we’ll keep him nice and fresh now and come back for the Festival. It will be level weights there, but he seems to be improving for every run around here and hopefully he can still be in the mix.

“Delta Work ran a good race in third and we were getting just over a stone today, so he’s going to have to improve again in March. Today the ground was probably a bit too good for him so hopefully we’ll get faster ground and we’ll see how it goes.

“We love having winners here, all the locals love a local winner so it makes for a really good atmosphere. Harry (Redknapp, joint-owner) is down in London today opening something, so he’s gutted he can’t be here!”

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Deise Aba, said: “He has run great and jumped beautifully.

“Unfortunately at the second-last he was a bit slow and lost some momentum at it, but he has run really well. It maybe cost him first place, but I’m not totally sure that it did.

“We might come back here for the Festival, but that is off level weights and will be a different job.”

Delta Work (right) in action
Delta Work (right) in action (David Davies/PA)

Gordon Elliott, meanwhile, saw plenty of positives in the effort of Delta Work.

He said: “I’m delighted with the run. He gave the winner and the second horse a lot of weight and we knew there would be plenty of improvement after today. He has only had one run over the banks around here so that is why we wanted to get more experience into him.

“I’m looking forward to coming back here off level weights. That will be his Gold Cup when he comes back here for the Festival. If you look there how he jumped the second-last and last you can see he just needed that bit more experience of the track so that will do him no harm. He galloped all the way to the line so we are very happy.”

Stage Star produces fine performance off top-weight at Cheltenham

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Stage Star put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture with a fine display of jumping on Trials Day

A Grade One winner over hurdles, Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old was making just his fourth start over fences having got his chasing career back on track at Plumpton earlier this month.

Sent off the 11-4 favourite for the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and carrying top-weight of 12st, the son of Fame And Glory produced an exhibition round from the front end to coast home the best part of four-lengths clear of runner-up Datsalrightgino in the hands of Harry Cobden.

In the aftermath, Coral went 10-1 from 25s for the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival, but his future target appears still to be decided.

“He has shown what he is made of today. It has just taken him a little while to get right,” said Nicholls.

“He won the Challow last year and we thought he was good. He was very good at Warwick then it all went wrong at Newbury. I think that day several horses didn’t enjoy the ground and he hung. He had a nice confidence booster at Plumpton and he has done that very nicely.

“It is a big weight to carry around there and do that well. I’m thrilled with that. I thought he was nicely in off 142. He is only a novice and he has a bit of experience around here and it means we can come back here in March if we want to in one of the novice chases. He was a Grade One winner last season and he is obviously a very nice horse, 142 was a very nice mark if he put it all together.

“That (the Cheltenham Festival) is a long way off. He would get three miles, but it depends on the ground and opposition. He will be well worth running. He is only a novice once.

“I thought the ground was that bit softer how he likes it today and he is a novice and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go three miles at Newbury as I have something else for that anyway. There are not lots of options for horses like these.

“The top-weight should be the best horse in the race if it all goes right and I think 142 was a fair mark. He is a Challow Hurdle winner and he should be a 150 horse in time. He will be a smart chaser. He is just getting his act together and we are learning how to train him. The day at Newbury he was beat the ground was very quick. He is much better on that ground.”

Nicholls and Cobden soon added to their tally when Il Ridoto (9-2) held off the 7-2 favourite Fugitif to land the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.

Festival Trials Day – Cheltenham Racecourse – Saturday 28th January
Il Ridoto ridden by Harry Cobden (right) clears a fence before going on to win the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

A switch to front-running tactics combined with the application of cheekpieces had the desired effect and the winner is likely to return for the handicap over the same track and trip at the Festival.

“I thought he had a big chance of winning here the last day (when fourth in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase) but he sort of ducked in left handed and fell through the last and that sort of cost him any chance really,” said Nicholls.

“I think few were doubting about whether he wanted a flat track and whether he truly stayed. I thought he was kidding us a little bit as he was coming out of his races so well and the cheekpieces have focused his mind today. He travelled and jumped brilliantly and had a great ride so it’s superb.

“When you’re fit and well you’re better off on the speed around here and I said to him to go out and ride him like he rode Stage Star. If it happens great and if it doesn’t so be it.”

He went on: “I said if he didn’t win today we’d have to go for a flat track but I thought he’d gallop up the hill – he’s just been kidding us and today he did it nicely.

“I haven’t really got a plan for him to be honest, if he hadn’t have won I was going to go for a race at Newbury just before the Festival on a flat track but now he has I suppose we’ll come back here.

“I wouldn’t be afraid of possibly considering the Topham Chase for him, as I think two miles and five furlongs around Aintree would suit him nicely.”