Steal A March books Festival ticket for the King

/by

Steal A March could be a Cheltenham Festival runner for the King after triumphing in a Pertemps qualifier at Wincanton on Boxing Day.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, Steal A March ran out a three-quarter-length winner of the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle – providing His Majesty with a first National Hunt winner in the famous royal silks.

Steal A March also has the distinction of having struck gold for the late Queen on her Platinum Jubilee weekend back in June, when he secured a popular success at Worcester.

Henderson is now looking towards the Pertemps Final at the Festival in March, with the Seven Barrows handler hoping the Queen Consort will be in attendance at Prestbury Park in March.

Nicky Henderson and the Queen Consort at Cheltenham in 2017
Nicky Henderson and the Queen Consort at Cheltenham in 2017 (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He said: “It was (quite momentous having a first jumps winner for the King) and it gave us a lot of pleasure. Amazingly he wasn’t quite the last of the Queen’s winners but he won at Worcester on Derby Day which was Platinum Jubilee weekend.

“Everyone was trying to get a winner for the Queen that weekend but good old Steal A March jumped up, although he wasn’t the most obvious one.

“I thought we ought to try to make sure we have a runner at the Festival and that was a Pertemps qualifier – I said whatever you do, get qualified. He got the job done really well and the plan would be to go straight there.

“I spoke to the Queen Consort on Tuesday morning. It was great and it is nice to get going. Hopefully she will be able to come to Cheltenham.”

Flooring Porter sights set on Christmas crown

/by

Dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter bids to get back on the winning trail in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

Gavin Cromwell’s stable star filled the runner-up spot in the Grade One contest 12 months ago behind Klassical Dream, who this year misses out after suffering a setback.

Flooring Porter took his revenge when successfully defending his Stayers’ Hurdle crown at the Cheltenham Festival in March and is expected to improve on his fourth-placed finish in last month’s Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.

He will need to up his game, however, with the first three finishers – Home By The Lee, Bob Olinger and Ashdale Bob – taking him on once more.

Cromwell said: “Flooring Porter is in good form and has come out of his run at Navan fine.

“We are meeting those horses off level weights now, fitness wise he will have improved a lot for it and the extra half-mile suits him well.

“We’re basically replicating what we did last year and we’re looking forward to getting him out.”

Bob Olinger winning at last season's Cheltenham Festival
Bob Olinger winning at last season’s Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

Bob Olinger would certainly be a poignant winner for Henry de Bromhead, whose late son is honoured in the title of this year’s renewal.

In Klassical Dream’s absence champion trainer Willie Mullins launches a twin assault, although both Saldier and Mr Adjudicator appear to have their work cut out.

Zanahiyr appears the pick of three runners for Gordon Elliott ahead of Sire Du Berlais and Commander Of Fleet, while Noel Meade’s Beacon Edge and Meet And Greet from Oliver McKiernan’s yard also feature.

Kemboy and A Plus Tard renew Savills rivalry at Leopardstown

/by

Familiar foes Kemboy and A Plus Tard cross swords once again in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

In eight outings at the Dublin circuit the Willie Mullins-trained Kemboy has only been out of the first four once – with his two victories featuring this race in 2018 and the Irish Gold Cup in February last year.

It was so nearly a second Savills Chase in 2020, only to be caught close home by Henry de Bromhead’s A Plus Tard in a thrilling finish, while he was beaten less than a length into third place 12 months ago.

Kemboy’s last outing was another Grade One near-miss, to A Plus Tard’s stablemate Envoi Allen at Down Royal last month.

Mullins also runs Franco De Port and Royal Rendezvous, the latter winning last season’s Galway Plate and now having his first start since Punchestown in April.

“Kemboy loves the track and he always keeps some of his best runs for here,” said the Closutton handler.

“Franco De Port will probably need a bit of luck to win, but he’ll take his chance. He won at the track over two miles.

“Royal Rendezvous hasn’t run over three miles – the Galway Plate is as far as he’s run – and we felt we’d have a look to see how he goes over longer trips.

“He’s a hard horse to place with his rating and is entitled to run in the race. I’m not sure if he’ll get the trip, but we’ll see.”

Rachael Blackmore and A Plus Tard at Cheltenham in March
Rachael Blackmore and A Plus Tard at Cheltenham in March (David Davies/PA)

Last year’s renewal saw a role reversal for A Plus Tard as he was run down by Galvin, losing out by a head.

He went from there to famously lift the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the hands of Rachael Blackmore, but left connections scratching their heads when pulled up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance. A “couple of issues” were subsequently discovered, however, including unsatisfactory blood test results.

Only fourth at Down Royal, Galvin is back to defend his crown and is joined by his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemates Conflated and Fury Road.

Winner of this year’s Irish Gold Cup, Conflated was one place in front of Galvin at Down Royal, while Fury Road was a Grade Two winner at that meeting.

The field is completed by the Mouse Morris-trained French Dynamite, who is trying three miles for the first time over fences after finishing runner-up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Editeur Du Gite shocks Desert Orchid rivals

/by

There was a shock in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase as Gary Moore’s Editeur Du Gite made every yard in the hands of Niall Houlihan to record a scintillating victory at Kempton.

The race was billed as a clash between Arkle and Tingle Creek hero Edwardstone and 2020 champion Nube Negra and the main protagonists were content to sit in rear as Editeur Du Gite bowled along in front during the early exchanges.

However, the complexion of the race changed at the fifth fence when Edwardstone made a bad blunder at the open ditch and parted company with big-race pilot Tom Cannon.

Harry Skelton crept his way into contention aboard Nube Negra rounding the home bend, but was soon sending out the distress signals on the 4-1 second favourite and had to settle for the silver medal as Houlihan kept the revs up aboard Editeur Du Gite and jumped his rivals into submission up the home straight.

A return to aggressive tactics paid off for the 28-1 scorer and the victory comes nine years after Sire De Grugy lit up Kempton in the colours of winning part-owners the Preston Family. The eight-year-old has now been introduced at 33-1 by both Paddy Power and Betfair to follow in the footsteps of the Moore-trained Sire De Grugy, winner of the 2014 Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

“I said to Niall ‘just ride him to be third’ as I had no other expectations,” said the winning trainer.

“He is not at his best right-handed and the ground is probably a bit softer than he would have liked it so they tell me. He has just proved everything wrong today.

“They are a great bunch of owners. The saddest thing is that Trevor (Jacobs, part owner) has been in hospital for six months now but he is gradually getting better. He is a great man, it is just a shame that he is not here. What this horse has done for all of them (is great). They are the luckiest bunch of owners, they had Sire De Grugy then this horse.

“He is no Sire De Grugy but he isn’t far behind him. It is great and good for the yard as they have worked hard over Christmas – it is well deserved.”

On future plans, Moore added: “There (Cheltenham) and Aintree (are where his best performances have been) and he will now have to go for the Game Spirit.

“He will have to have a Champion Chase entry as handicaps are definitely out of the question. His work at home has been very good, you could gallop him with any two-mile hurdler and he will gallop with them, if not better. It is a massive surprise but you need to have surprises like this.

Jockey Niall Houlihan celebrates winning the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase with horse Editeur Du Gite during day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton
Jockey Niall Houlihan celebrates winning the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase with horse Editeur Du Gite during day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton (Nigel French/PA)

“The only thing is Josh (Moore) isn’t riding – that is the only thing missing – but fair play to Niall he has done well on the horse and it is great for him. They get on well together every time he has ridden him.”

Runner-up Nube Negra will now be freshened up for another tilt at the Champion Chase in March, with Dan Skelton believing the tacky nature of the Sunbury track took its toll on his good-ground loving eight-year-old.

He said: “The ground was tacky today but fair play to the winner, he’s set really hard fractions in really tacky ground and made it really hard work for everybody.

“Our horse has had to give him 6lb, but on the ground it’s just made it very hard for us. Take nothing away from the winner though, we’ll freshen him up now and go for the Champion Chase and fingers crossed we get some really nice ground.”

Newbury’s Game Spirit Chase is also on the cards for Edwardstone, with Alan King reporting both horse and rider to be fine following their early exit.

“They’re both fine,” said the Barbury Castle handler. “I’d have to watch it again, normally him and Tom do everything right, normally they sort it between them and today they didn’t. Nobody has died, he’s fine and he enjoyed himself when loose afterwards.

“I’ve been at it long enough to know that as long as they’re OK, there’s always another day. We’re gutted of course but I’ve been in worse places. I’d imagine we’ll stick to the original plan and look at the Game Spirit at Newbury. It’s a shame but it happens – for once they didn’t quite get it right today.”

The Two Amigos claims Welsh National gold

/by

The Two Amigos made it third time lucky when making just about every yard of the running in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

Fifth to Potters Corner in 2019 and second to Secret Reprieve two years later, Nicky Martin’s 10-year-old was providing conditional jockey David Prichard with by far the biggest win of his career.

The first three home headed into the first corner in very handy positions and nothing else really got into contention.

Top weight The Big Dog was alongside The Two Amigos (16-1) for much of the contest and it was not until jumping the final fence his welter burden began to take its toll and he eventually began to weaken.

That allowed The Big Breakaway – who is trained by Joe Tizzard, brother of the late Kim Gingell who is remembered in the race title – to close into second and while it briefly looked as if he may claim the leader, The Two Amigos held on by a length and a quarter.

The Big Dog was five lengths back in third with Truckers Lodge, ridden by Gingell’s son, Freddie, fourth.

David Prichard with the Welsh National trophy
David Prichard with the Welsh National trophy (David Davies/PA)

Martin was not at Chepstow as she was unwell, but winning the biggest race of her career may just help her recuperate.

“That was absolutely brilliant. It’s such a shame we weren’t there, but I’m full of flu and I’m not sure I could have stuck that in that weather today,” said Martin.

“Ironically we desperately needed the rain for him, we were praying for it, and it all panned out perfectly.

“He really deserved it, he’d run so well in it twice before and he is so popular. Dave did what he was told, get to the front and dictate the pace because he had no weight, and luckily it all worked out perfectly.

“It’s a race where you have to be handy, very few come from the back, so that was perfect and I’m delighted.

“It’s great for Dave, too. He doesn’t get that many rides and as a Welshman it will mean the world to him. For us, as a small yard, it’s a great boost for everybody.

“It also might be a great cure for flu!”

The Two Amigos leads The Big Breakaway over the last
The Two Amigos leads The Big Breakaway over the last (David Davies/PA)

Prichard told Sky Sports Racing: “I must thank Nicky Martin and her partner John who give me a lot of opportunities, I’m just glad I can pay them back with a win like this.

“He always tries his best but today we got the right ground and it was far enough and he was off a featherweight. I didn’t have a lot of Christmas dinner but it was worth it!

“I got a good start and then I didn’t see anyone else which I was thankful of, his jumping was so good, he makes ground at every fence.

“I was born and raised near Cardiff in Pontypridd so all my family are here today, now I’m based down in Devon.”

Comfort Zone digs deep in Finale prize

/by

Comfort Zone was made to work very hard to justify odds-on favouritism in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.

Paying a handsome compliment to the Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth, the current Triumph Hurdle favourite who had him back in third las time out, Joseph O’Brien’s charge was a rare winner of the Grade Two event for Ireland.

Comfort Zone travelled through the race like much the best horse and until the run to the final flight, those who had backed him at 10-11 will have been feeling confident.

However, once Jonjo O’Neill’s mount went two lengths clear, Comfort Zone did not really increase his advantage.

Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line
Dixon Cove made Comfort Zone battle to the line (David Davies/PA)

It was Paul Nicholls’ filly Dixon Cove who gave the favourite most to do, and in receipt of the 7lb sex allowance it looked like she may get on top on the run to the line.

Comfort Zone dug deep, though, and got the verdict by a neck with Perseus Way two lengths away in third.

O’Neill told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a messy race but he came alight quicker than I thought he would.

“He jumped very well and he was very honest after the last. Joseph told me to keep it simple – which I didn’t do!

“He had some smart form with Lossiemouth winning yesterday, so it looked like he had a good chance and luckily he pulled it out of the bag.”

Vega earns Mullins’ praise with Facile Future Champions strike

/by

Willie Mullins was once again fulsome in his praise of Facile Vega after seeing his star youngster stamp his class on the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The outstanding performer in the bumper sphere last season with wins at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Cheltenham Festival and the Punchestown Festival, the five-year-old made a smooth transition to the jumping game at Fairyhouse earlier in the month.

Returning to Grade One level, the son of Walk In The Park and six-time Cheltenham Festival heroine Quevega was the 2-9 favourite to make it six from six and the result was never really in doubt.

After initially taking a lead from Il Etait Temps, Facile Vega almost jumped into the back of his stablemate at the first hurdle and was subsequently allowed to stride on in front.

Il Etait Temps hung in there and tried to throw down a renewed challenge from the home turn, but Facile Vega was in full command as he passed the post with four lengths in hand. Ashroe Diamond stayed on from the rear to make it a Mullins one-two-three.

When asked to give his star youngster a mark out of 10, Mullins said: “I’d nearly have to give him 11 and a half, I think!

“Plan A obviously went out the window after the first hurdle. Thankfully Il Etait Temps didn’t bring him down, Paul said he was very close to it because he absolutely winged the hurdle.

“Then he had no lead and had to go and make his own running. He did it well, he got very free at the first hurdle down the back and took some jump at it. I was delighted to see that but I knew he couldn’t keep that up.

Facile Vega after his Leopardstown success
Facile Vega after his Leopardstown success (Gary Carson/PA)

“Paul got him back, got him into a slower rhythm and got him jumping better. He said he was still racing in his hands the whole way but he eventually settled for him.

“I think he’ll learn an awful lot today. The big crowd and all the buzz before the race itself, all that will be a help for him in the future.”

Facile Vega remains an evens favourite with Betfair to provide the champion trainer with a record eighth win in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The longer Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle is an alternative option, but when asked if he will stick to two miles, Mullins added: “I wouldn’t be looking for anything else.”

Boothill swoops late to grab Wayward Lad honours

/by

Harry Fry’s Boothill struck late to down Aucunrisque and record his third victory of the season over fences in a competitive running of the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

Only four went to post for the Grade Two contest, but the lack of numbers did not effect the quality on show and Aucunrisque shaded affairs at the head of the closely-bunched quartet in the early stages.

Harry Skelton was keen to match strides with Chris Gordon’s six-year-old aboard 13-8 favourite Lac De Constance, but the former champion jockey was unseated following a blunder at the final ditch as the tempo began to increase.

Tom Cannon kept his foot down on Aucunrisque following the departure of Lac De Constance and had opened up a three-length lead over Boothill as the field jumped three out.

But Boothill responded gamely to rider Jonathan Burke’s urgings soon after and edged his way to the front with a fine leap at the last – landing full of running and galloping on to the line to shade the long-time leader by a length.

It was the perfect way for the seven-year-old to get back to winning ways following a respectable effort behind Jonbon in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase earlier this month and both Betfair and Coral have cut the son of Presenting to 25-1 for a potential rematch with Nicky Henderson’s Arkle favourite at the Cheltenham Festival.

Boothill ridden by jockey J J Burke on their way to winning the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase during day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Racecourse
Boothill ridden by jockey J J Burke on their way to winning the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase during day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

The winning rider was full of praise for his mount and said: “We probably didn’t go as quick as I thought we would, but I’d say my horse is growing in confidence with every run. He’s showing battling qualities now that he probably didn’t show in the past, so every time he runs he’s improving.

“We’ve bumped into Jonbon before and I’m sure we’ll take him on again, but he’s getting better with every run and his jumping is his thing – he’s jumping so well in his races. Trying to settle him is not easy when he’s jumping as well as that, but he’s battling better than he ever has.

“Because he was keen I took the decision to sit at the back of the four so I could fill him up and if I couldn’t do that I wouldn’t be in contention. Moving to the last, he was going well so it was great. We’ll be keen to take on Jonbon again, we probably won’t beat him but we’re up for the fight.”

Gordon was also proud of the efforts of the runner-up and now has the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in his sights.

He said: “He has run an absolute blinder. It is one of those things – if he was tailed off and came and finished second I would have been really happy.

“When we came around the bend I thought ‘we have got this’ and that is what is painful as a trainer. At the end of the day, when you sit down you’d say he has run a blinder. The owner just mentioned about the Arkle but the Grand Annual might be fantastic for him. I think maybe if they feel they would like to go to Cheltenham, we could put an entry in both of those.

“Hopefully the handicapper is sensible. If they are not sensible it puts you off running horses like this in it (Grand Annual). He scared me with his jumping early on as he is small but he has really got his jumping together, so maybe we can look at a race like that (Grand Annual).”

Grade One Rewards for Blue Lord at Leopardstown

/by

Blue Lord emerged as a potential threat to Queen Mother Champion Chase-winning stablemate Energumene following an impressive success in the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old was in the top rank of novice chasers last season for Willie Mullins, with Grade One wins at Leopardstown and Punchestown sandwiching a third place in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Having made a successful reappearance in last month’s Clonmel Oil Chase, Blue Lord dropped in trip and stepped up in class for this Grade One contest and was the 2-1 second-favourite behind his top-class stablemate and multiple Leopardstown winner Chacun Pour Soi.

The two-mile-one-furlong contest was run at such a pace that Chacun Pour Soi, who will officially turn in 11 in a few days, appeared to be struggling to go the gallop.

He managed to get himself into contention approaching the second fence from home, but a bad mistake put him on the back foot once more and he ultimately had to make do with minor honours in third.

Blue Lord on the other hand travelled strongly throughout under Daryl Jacob and after battling his way to the front early in the home straight, he powered 11 lengths clear of Captain Guinness.

Coral reacted by trimming his Champion Chase odds to 10-1 from 20-1, with Energumene the 4-5 favourite, while he is 6-1 from 12s for the longer Ryanair Chase.

Mullins said: “That was very smart, I thought they’d go too fast for him here and they did go fast.

Blue Lord in the Leopardstown winner's enclosure
Blue Lord in the Leopardstown winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

“I was looking at two and a half miles for him this year, but it looks like he could be a Champion Chase horse after that performance. Certainly the dial is coming back to two miles now rather than going out to two and a half. It just means he’s improving.

“I haven’t thought about where he goes but I’m sure there is a programme there for those two-mile horses.”

Of Chacun Pour Soi, he added: “I was absolutely delighted with him – he started to put in some tremendous jumps down the back.

“He just met the second-last all wrong and it knocked him out of the race at a crucial time, but I was very heartened by his performance.

“Maybe he just needs to go out a bit longer in trip at his age. Paul was very pleased with how he was going, but he made the mistake and it cost him whatever chance he had.”

Dysart Dynamo stakes Arkle claim with impressive chase debut

/by

Dysart Dynamo threw his hat into the Arkle ring with a foot-perfect display in the Paddy Power “From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast” Beginners Chase at Leopardstown.

A brilliant winner of last season’s Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old subsequently fell three from home when still travelling well in the Supreme at Cheltenham.

He failed to fire on his final outing of the campaign at the Punchestown Festival, but was nevertheless a warm order to make a successful reappearance and chasing debut as the 2-5 favourite.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns, with the keen-going gelding quickly pulling clear of his rivals and jumping accurately in front throughout in the hands of Paul Townend.

With his chief rival Slip Of The Tongue an early faller, Dysart Dynamo rounded the home turn with a massive lead and skipped over the final fence to seal a 28-length success over Irascible.

Betfair cut the winner’s Arkle odds to 5-1 from 11-1, while he is 12-1 from 20s for the longer Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins said: “He was pretty fast over the first couple of fences but then he settled into a rhythm. He threw in a huge jump at the first ditch down the back, but then Paul seemed to pull him back and get him into a better rhythm – he measured and jumped his fences from there on home without any problems.

“He is what you see – he gallops and jumps. He does that at home and the few times I’ve brought him away to school he’s done the same thing. He just gets out there and loves jumping and galloping.

“I think he’s settled a lot better over fences than he did over hurdles. That’s what I took from the first time I saw him schooling on grass. He really looks at his fences and takes notice of them, he wasn’t taking any notice of hurdles. That will be a big plus with him in the future.

“If you were going to draw a chaser, he’s the one you’d like.”

When asked whether a return to Leopardstown for the Irish Arkle in February could be on the agenda, the Closutton handler added: “We have a lot of horses that would fit that bill and we’ll see if there are alternatives for some of them.

“He came here and did it, so if you were coming back over course and distance he’d be one of the favourites to come back here.”

Tekao and Mark Walsh won the opening race at Leopardstown
Tekao and Mark Walsh won the opening race at Leopardstown (Donall Farmer/PA)

The champion trainer also claimed the opening Paddy Power “I Have No Idea What Day It Is” 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle with the promising Tekao.

Beaten into third place when odds-on for his Irish debut at Navan last month, the French recruit rewarded those who kept the faith with a cosy half-length success over Ascending under Mark Walsh.

Paddy Power cut Tekao to 25-1 from 33-1 for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, with his stablemate Lossiemouth a hot favourite at 6-4 following her runaway success on Monday.

“He took a keen hold but Mark said he was travelling well all the time. He was happy that he had come on from his last run so we’re very pleased with him,” said Mullins.

“He’ll have to step up in class. We’ll see what way this race works out but any time you win a three-year-old maiden around Leopardstown, it’s usually a good sign.”

Mullins went on to complete a remarkable six-timer, with the Grade One triumphs of Blue Lord and Facile Vega followed by victories for Winter Fog and Fact To File.

Winter Fog (11-2) made a successful debut for the yard in the in the Paddy Power ‘Je Suis Une Baguette’ Handicap Hurdle under 7lb claimer Kieran Callaghan, while point-to-point graduate Fact To File (8-13) stayed on to deny the strong-travelling Irish Panther the bumper in the hands of the trainer’s son, Patrick.

Mullins said: “Winter Fog did it nicely and Kieran is a good young rider, a cool kid and he deserves a lot of credit. He rides a lot of work on this horse at home.

“That fella (Fact To File) took all day to get going. He was one of the favourite horses I bought last year, I loved him from the day he came. That experience today, especially what he did in the last 100 yards, will stand to him.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with trainer Willie Mullins, who enjoyed a six-timer
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with trainer Willie Mullins, who enjoyed a six-timer (Donall Farmer/PA)

Of his six-timer, Mullins added: “It’s been an extraordinary day. Our planning department at home deserves all the credit for this, putting the horses in the right races and having them right.

“Between David Casey, Ruby (Walsh) and Patrick picking out different horses for different races and then just getting ready for the race, it’s a huge team effort.

“Ben Delmar, who is our head travelling man, getting them all right. Getting the right numbers on the right horses in the Paddy Power is a feat in itself.

“I have to thank everyone, especially owners as without them we wouldn’t be here. A huge thanks to them for having faith in us to have days like this.”

Real Steel after winning the Paddy Power Chase
Real Steel after winning the Paddy Power Chase (Gary Carson/PA)

The only race on the card that did not go to the Mullins team was the €200,000 Paddy Power Chase, although it was won by a former Closutton inmate in Real Steel.

Sixth in the 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup, the nine-year-old subsequently moved to Britain to join Paul Nicholls before being bought by Eric McNamara earlier this year for £27,000.

The nine-year-old was a 33-1 shot for his latest assignment and had just enough in the tank to repel the late thrust of Diol Ker by a short head, with the trainer’s son Conor the winning rider.

“It was brilliant the way it worked out. He was well handicapped if we could rekindle him and to win one of these handicaps is great,” said McNamara senior.

“He spent two years doing nothing in England, whatever went wrong there. We changed his routine, brought him a few different places to work and we never took him off the bridle.

“We trained him like he was a really good horse and he always worked against horses that he could beat, just to try to mentally get him back to where he was.

“He was a really good horse. He was only beaten seven and a quarter lengths in a Gold Cup.

“Conor gave him a great ride and did everything right so it’s fantastic.”