My Prospero firing Marquand dreams in big year ahead

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There are more seagulls on the resplendent white infield – and many more floodlights – than punters. The bookmaker count is up to two. And there it shall stay.

One moderate horse after another is announced to less than a handful of die-hards as they circle wearily around the parade ring, replete with its bank of shovelled snow.

Our hero stands outside the weighing room on a bitterly cold January afternoon, a brusque wind thwacking his silks.

He is already sat on a 61-rated 25-1 chance in an extended nine-furlong handicap that takes an extended eternity to run. Later, he will be riding two similarly modest beasts, both of whom finish runner-up in head-to-head battles of mediocrity.

Cleared snow piled up next to the parade ring at Wolverhampton
Cleared snow piled up next to the parade ring at Wolverhampton (Simon Marper/PA)

No matter. These are the days of toil and moil, ones that keep you mindful.

And far from despondent, Tom Marquand still cannot quite believe his luck.

They will have to go some before having a jockey-trainer relationship to match the longevity of George Duffield and Sir Mark Prescott. Yet given the warmth the 24-year-old rider has for William Haggas, it would be a brave man to bet against anything coming between their burgeoning partnership. Even if one of those two bookies would lay that bet.

This is all a far cry from Japan, where he and his wife, fellow jockey Hollie Doyle, spent a hugely successful riding spell at the end of last year.

Tom Marquand is excited by the prospects for the Flat season
Tom Marquand is excited by the prospects for the Flat season (Mike Egerton/PA)

On a bleak, raw afternoon such as this, it was only right to look to sunnier days and try to turn nuggets of negative into pebbles of positivity. Or in his case, boulders of belief, particularly in the Haggas horses.

“Quite a lot excites me to be honest,” says Marquand, his eyes sparkling and voice rising with anticipation.

“I went into the yard earlier in the month for the first time since coming back and you are probably almost guilty about forgetting some horses, because you get excited about others, and then you remember you’ve got yet another good one there.”

The softly-spoken, considered Haggas, who handled top-class colt Baaeed so brilliantly last term, does not have that big gun to fire, now that he’s gone to stud. There are still some powerful bullets in the barrel, however

Marquand explained: “To be honest, we have a really strong-looking team going into this year.

“The two that probably stand out the most, just because of the way their season went, are My Prospero and Maljoom.”

My Prospero was unfortunate not to have won all of his five starts last season, being touched off in the St James’s Palace Stakes and on his return to Ascot in the Champion Stakes.

Maljoom won the German Guineas before suffering all sorts of trouble in running in the St James’s Palace under the unfortunate Cieren Fallon, going down just half a length to Coroebus.

“They are both Group One horses that didn’t get their Group One on their cards for various different reasons,” said Marquand. “It was unfortunate, but they are two extremely exciting horses.

“I saw My Prospero and he looks an absolute monster. He looks gorgeous and he’s strengthened as well.

“The Champion Stakes was rated the second-highest race in the world and he was beaten half a length. To be honest, I thought things didn’t really go our way with the way the race set up, so it really poses the question of what might be to come with him.

Maljoom won the German Guineas last term
Maljoom won the German Guineas last term (John Walton/PA)

“Maljoom, as well, had a pretty torrid time. He was unlucky at Ascot after winning the German Guineas. He then got sick and had a bad run at it, basically. He is one to look forward to, definitely.”

The 24-year-old feels he is in the best possible place, riding for a man who is effusive in his praise and slow to chide.

“It has been a nice relationship, even away from the trainer-jockey side,” said Marquand of the Newmarket handler.

“I’m lucky to have found someone who looks after me and treats me well.

“I think when you are young as well, it is so important because, realistically, even if you’ve had a bit of success, you are still trying to mould your career the right way.

Marquand is humbled to work for William Haggas and his team
Marquand is humbled to work for William Haggas and his team (Nigel French/PA)

“How many jockeys at 23 or 24 had a career and by the time they are 26 or 27 it’s gone? There’s a lot.

“To have someone like that… and it is not just him, it is Maureen (Haggas’ wife and assistant) and the lads at home, and the travelling lads.

“I don’t know, but for whatever reason, they have created a proper team. Everyone is invested. It is not like, ‘Oh we just work for him and we just do our job, and that’s it. Everybody is in for the long haul.”

In a stark reminder that this often beautiful sport can sometimes be equally brutal, Doyle suffered a broken elbow in a fall at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks ago. There is no timescale for her return to the saddle.

Yet if ever there was an old head on young shoulders, it belongs to her husband.

Wolverhampton
Frosty days at Wolverhampton provide perspective (Simon Milham/PA)

Grateful for the career he has and the good friends he works for, Marquand is appreciative and pragmatic.

“It is humbling,” he adds. “When stuff like that happens, nothing is a given.

“You are not going to wake up tomorrow morning and go and get on a Group One horse or anything like that – you might not be able to get up to ride a Group One horse, even if you have found it.

“It is racing. It is all sport. So it is pretty easy to keep it all in perspective, to be honest.”

Thedevilscoachman awarded Grade Three prize at Naas

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Thedevilscoachman was awarded victory in the stewards’ room following a dramatic conclusion to the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase.

Five runners went to post for the Grade Three contest, with the Willie Mullins-trained Ramillies the 13-8 favourite to follow up a successful fencing debut at Thurles last month.

Amirite and Rachael Blackmore took the quintet along for much of the three-mile-one-furlong journey, with Ramillies always his nearest pursuer under Paul Townend.

With Cheltenham winner Chemical Energy weakening disappointingly, it turned into a three-way fight, with Amirite and Ramillies joined by Thedevilscoachman and Bryan Cooper halfway up the home straight.

The drama began after jumping the second fence from the finish, with Noel Meade’s Thedevilscoachman (100-30) seemingly having the door closed on him when going for a gap between the front pair.

Cooper angled his mount wide of his rivals to mount his challenge on the run-in and was was clawing back Ramillies all the way to the line, but the latter held on by a neck.

However, following a subsequent enquiry the stewards reversed the result.

Meade said: “I know I’m biased, but I think it was the right decision.

“What probably made the decision was when Paul jumped the second-last he came over in front of him. You could say why didn’t he go round him, but he never actually had a chance to go round him because once Paul blocked him up he had nowhere to go except to keep going straight.

“Rachael came out and Paul went in (at the last), but I think he was the best horse.”

Trainer Noel Meade
Trainer Noel Meade (Niall Carson/PA)

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “I’ll have to talk to Frank (Berry) and JP (McManus) before I can say where he’s going to go because I don’t know. Frank is away on holidays with the boss.

“I do think wherever he goes he does need soft ground, that’s essential.

“I didn’t put him in the National Hunt Chase, I put him in the Brown Advisory. I think three miles is far enough for him.

“I think Cheltenham mightn’t be soft enough for him, if it was good ground there. We might even be thinking more of a handicap there, that might be an idea.”

Ramillies at Naas
Ramillies at Naas (Gary Carson/PA)

Prior to the placings being amended, Mullins’ assistant David Casey said: “There was a bit of race-riding at the back of the second-last and I think Paul just held his position.

“He’s a grand horse and stays well. He seems to have put it together better over fences than he did over hurdles.

“He’s in the National Hunt Chase and to me he looks like a horse for that, but the trainer will make the decision.

“He did it well and Paul said he was happy all the way round.”

Thomson eyeing Eider prep for National hope Hill Sixteen

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Sandy Thomson is plotting a potential route to the Randox Grand National via the Eider Chase with Hill Sixteen.

The tough staying chaser has not run since finishing seventh to Ashtown Lad in the Becher Chase at Aintree in early December.

His Berwickshire handler saw the 10-year-old drop 2lb in the handicap to a mark of 143, which should be a high enough mark to see Court Cave gelding slip into the National off a low weight.

Thomson is keen to protect that mark and said: “Obviously, we want to go for the National, so on 143, we couldn’t really run him again.

“We thought he would go for the Grand National Trial, but this year it so happens that the Grand National Trial is before the National weights are published.

“So it will either be the Eider (at Newcastle on February 25) – but if it was really soft you might not want to give him a really hard race in that – or it will be the Premier Chase at Kelso (March 4).”

Hill Sixteen was runner-up to Snow Leopardess in the Becher Chase, a recognised National trial, in December 2021, so has plenty of experience over the unique spruce-topped fences.

However, Thomson insists that any thoughts of a run in the extended four-and-a-quarter-mile April 15 spectacular will be dependent on plenty of rain.

“It’s got to be wet enough for him,” said Thomson. “The way these (dry) Aprils have been going recently, we are bound to get a wet one soon.”

Willmount delighting Mulholland since exciting debut

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Neil Mulholland is eyeing the spring festivals for his exciting bumper horse Willmount.

Bought for £340,000 following an impressive display in the pointing field at Comea in February last year, he went some way to justifying that price-tag when a commanding 13-length scorer on his rules debut at Doncaster earlier this month.

Jamie Moore was motionless aboard the Ollie Harris-owned five-year-old during the closing stages on Town Moor and Mulholland was delighted to see the son of Blue Bresil make a winning start – while also believing the team at Conkwell Lodge are only just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

He said: “He’s a nice horse who has come out of the race really well and we’re hoping he’ll have come on for the race as well.

“I’ll have to speak to the owner, but we’ll be looking at the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree and places like that.

“Everything of course has to be good and go well and we’re hoping he’ll be a nice novice hurdler next year. But if he keeps on improving the way he is we’ll definitely be at the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree – that’s what the owner buys these horses for, he wants to be at the big meetings.

“He’s a nice horse to get and thankfully his first run lived up to expectation. Now he has to obviously step up again, but we would be more than confident there is hopefully more to come. He definitely wasn’t drilled for his bumper at Doncaster.”

The decision on if Willmount will run again before the spring is yet to be finalised with a Listed bumper at Newbury on February 11 a possibility. Although Mulholland appears to be favouring heading straight to the Champion Bumper on March 15 – a race for which he is a best price of 25-1 with bet365, but as short as 14-1 in places.

“I would suspect he would go straight there,” continued Mulholland.

“We don’t want to be overracing him and he’s backwards enough. It’s long-term we want this horse for so we’ll do what is right for the horse.

“We could go for a bumper at Newbury in the middle of February, but then you’ve only got four weeks to get over that to go to Cheltenham.”

Mullins keen to deflect praise elsewhere after reaching 4,000 career winners

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He shrugged it off, just as he had when reaching yet another landmark that few will ever achieve.

Energumene was beaten but unbowed at Cheltenham, his aversion to the Clarence House Chase, his only defeat over fences last term, again haunting favourite-backers after the race was salvaged from a frosty, abandoned Ascot.

Indeed, this was to be a bittersweet afternoon for Willie Mullins, who batted another accomplishment away, with his usual winsome, win-some-lose-some parlance.

He has been at this game a long time. By his own admission, he knows little else than his preposterous ability to train horses.

All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn
All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn (PA)

To him, the 4,000th winner of his long and distinguished career, achieved when Bronn narrowly justified long odds-on favouritism in the soil.ie Working With Fairyhouse Beginners Chase, was just another victory.

Not that he would not savour it. There were simply bigger fish to fry.

While things did not quite go according to plan at Prestbury Park, with the Queen Mother Champion Chase hero finishing third to to Editeur Du Gite in the Albert Bartlett-sponsored feature, Mullins, underneath his trademark trilby, was still smiling.

“The winner put up a great performance and I’m not going to take that away from him. We weren’t able to beat him on the day and just hope it will be a different result the next day for us,” he graciously said.

And that is the hallmark of the Closutton handler, who took over from his father, Paddy Mullins, in 1988, having had a hugely successful career as an amateur jockey and also learning more than a few tricks as an assistant to Jim Bolger.

However, he allowed himself a little smile at the milestone, before heaping praise on others, as is his all-too-regular wont.

“I’m delighted,” he said, with more than a hint of embarrassment.

“I’m really happy for all the owners we have met throughout the years who have made this possible.

“They are the building blocks we start on, so I’m very lucky with the group of owners I’ve had over the years, with my family, wife Jackie and (son) Patrick, our staff in the yard who have been with us for years. It is really a family affair.”

No question he has stood on the shoulders of his father, who had a legendary career himself, and the 66-year-old has taken tried and trusted methods, honed his experiences and taken this game to another level altogether.

“Everything I learned, I learned from my dad, including patience, which I didn’t know I was learning – and didn’t want to learn when I was younger, as is the way it is when you are younger,” he admitted.

“You don’t realise the things you are learning as you are just doing day-to-day stuff until you come across those problems and instances in your life that you think back and go, ‘Oh, he would have done this or would have done that’. Then things become simpler and clearer, and you realise why he did those things.

“He was just hugely experienced.”

Did he ever think he would be standing in the Cheltenham winner’s enclosure, before a Grade One event, looking for winner number 4,001?

“I never dreamt it,” he said. “When we were starting off, big jumps trainers had 60 horses, maybe 70. You take the top English trainers at the time, that’s the max they had.

“And if someone said to me when I got my licence, I’ll give you 60 horses for every year you were going to train for the rest of your life, you’d jump at it.

“The game has just gone bigger. The popularity of jump racing is huge and is growing all the time, and long may it last.”

Patrick Mullins is soaking up knowledge from his father
Patrick Mullins is soaking up knowledge from his father (Niall Carson/PA)

There are no signs he has any thoughts of retirement, and that is a great thing. For not only can you bank on backing WP Mullins runners blind at the March Festival – where he is out on his own as the leading trainer – his son is not yet too keen to have that baton passed to him.

Assistant to his father, Patrick said: “Dad is a huge role model. He taught me everything about riding, all about tactics, how to deal with owners, how to deal with other jockeys. He has all the angles covered and he is always thinking about things that aren’t really obvious.

“He learned from his father and built from there.

“I remember, growing up, my memory kicks in when we were second to Noel Meade in the championship and we said, ‘We might beat Noel in prize-money, but we’d never beat him in winners’.”

Of course, there are always choppy waters to navigate. In 2016, Gigginstown House Stud, owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, removed 60 horses from the yard, Mullins having put up his training fees for the first time in a decade. If anything, that episode only served to make the operation stronger.

“The big thing was when Gigginstown left, he could have very easily downscaled, but he didn’t – he upscaled, and we’ve more horses now than before Gigginstown left. That is a sign of his ambition,” said Mullins junior.

“One day I’ll take over, I’m sure. But I’m in no rush and I don’t think he is in any rush, either.

“I think he’ll train for a long time yet – and that suits me, I’m not in any rush!”

Willie Mullins casts a watchful eye over his string
Willie Mullins casts a watchful eye over his string (Niall Carson/PA)

Mullins senior is affable, calm, calculated and competitive. He has an endearing yet sometimes frustrating quality in keeping his cards close to his chest, yet one is left with nothing but admiration for his dominance.

Patrick added: “There is more to training horses than just getting them fit. There is a people side and I think he’s very good at it. Some people are good with the people side, but not as good at training, but he’s the full package.

“I don’t think he is quite as obsessed as maybe Aidan O’Brien, he does have other outlets, he is not one-dimensional.”

Mullins senior, a keen Manchester United supporter, likes a round of golf, and by his own admission, is a little more relaxed these days.

“I do tend to try to enjoy things more now,” he said. “I find my interest now is downtime, rather than looking for something else to do, just relaxing when we have time off.

“I suppose when you wake up and you hear a horse coughing or bucking, you are living on the job.

“But everything has been great so far, especially when you have someone like Patrick coming up behind.”

The dynasty is in safe hands, you can be sure of that. But for now we will raise our glass to the next bucket-load of Mullins Festival winners and doff the trilby in tribute.

Stage Star leads Cheltenham hat-trick for jubilant Nicholls

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Stage Star put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture with a fine display of jumping on Trials Day – the first leg of a brilliant 102-1 treble at Prestbury Park for champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

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.

Paul Nicholls had a big day at Cheltenham
Paul Nicholls had a big day at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

“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.”

It was left to stable conditional Angus Cheleda and willing partner Hacker Des Places to put the finishing touches on a fantastic day for team Ditcheat when they combined to land the concluding SSS Super Alloys Handicap Hurdle.

The victory brought up a 140-1 across-the-card treble of their own for the Owners Group, with the champion trainer revealing the Betfair Hurdle will be up next.

Nicholls said: “It was a long way from the second last to the line! He’s in the Betfair Hurdle in two weeks’ time, which has always been my aim.

“I just felt we needed to get a run into him. He has been in training for so long without a run. He should improve a little bit for today’s run, and will get a little penalty but Angus will take that off and we’ll go to Newbury.”

Cheleda added: “I thought I got there a bit too soon really and then the race fell apart at two out, so I thought I’d kick off the bend and he’s galloped all the way up the hill. It’s my first winner at Cheltenham for the boss so it’s a special moment.”

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.”