Tag Archive for: Sandown

Desert Crown ‘in good shape’ as he continues on comeback trail

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Desert Crown, who has not run since winning the Derby in impressive fashion, is back in work and “looks a million dollars” following injury.

The son of Nathaniel has run just three times, including twice in his three-year-old campaign, which saw him land the Dante and the Epsom Classic.

However, Sir Michael Stoute’s star subsequently suffered an ankle injury which saw him miss the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and other big targets last term.

Saeed Suhail will keep him in training as a four-year-old, however, and the owner’s racing manager, Bruce Raymond, said he is back in work at Newmarket.

“Desert Crown is in good shape,” said Raymond. “He was turned out for a bit at Darley.

“He was there for about eight weeks and it did him really good.

“He came back in around mid-November and I saw him last week.

“He looks a million dollars – you’d think it was June. He has a beautiful coat, he looks great and started cantering five days before Michael got back from Barbados. He has been cantering away, although not strong cantering. Everything has been OK.”

Stoute was reluctant to outline plans, stating: “It’s February. I haven’t made any plans and we don’t want to get carried away with anything.”

However, Raymond believes he will head to the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown on May 25, before contesting the King George.

He added: “I would have thought he would go to the Brigadier Gerard and then the King George. It is the usual route.

“Michael won’t say anything, of course. If I ask him, he will say, ‘That’s for you to guess and me to know!’.

“So I’m guessing he’s going in that direction, but he does look well and we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Sandown calling for Felicie Du Maquis

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Clive Boultbee-Brooks will go searching for Grade Two glory with his talented mare Felicie Du Maquis, who is set for the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown next month.

A late entrant on the scene, the eight-year-old had a two from five record in the pointing field, but has been ultra-impressive since running under rules – winning both outings over hurdles in fine style.

Having followed in esteemed footsteps by winning the same Warwick race Love Envoi took in 2021 in facile fashion on New Year’s Eve, Felicie Du Maquis will continue to tread the same path taken by Harry Fry’s Cheltenham Festival winner when lining up at Sandown on February 16.

“I think she will go down to Sandown in February for the Grade Two – that’s her target for her next race,” said Boultbee-Brooks. “She should go well, she has not been over-raced.

“She’s one of those who is not the best worker at home but she has the right aptitude once you get her on track and she’s got a really good head on her.

“Her forte should be chasing next season, but she’s obviously taken very well to hurdles. She’s a Saddler Maker so she wants it a bit soft and jumping is her forte.”

With a liking for soft ground, plans for later in the season remain fluid and could include an ambitious jaunt across the Channel.

“What we do with her after Sandown is quite difficult really as she does need a bit of cut in the ground,” continued the owner-trainer, who has enjoyed notable success as a pre-trainer and point-to-point handler before saddling runners under rules.

“If it starts drying up too much, I’m half tempted to take her to Auteuil or something like that.

“She’s doesn’t have the biggest depth of page, but she is one we will breed from anyway. We keep our mares out of racing and breed from them.

“Black type is an absolute goal and would be nice but it is not the be and end all as we’ll probably keep the offspring anyway. I wouldn’t necessarily target the black type and Listed races if it wasn’t the right race for her.

“She’ll definitely go chasing next season. She obviously schools over fences at home and she’s mint.”

Supreme engagement on the cards for L’Astroboy

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Evan Williams could target the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with L’Astroboy, who outran his odds to finish runner-up to Tahmuras in the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Adam Wedge’s mount, who had won a bumper at Ffos Las, beating Tahmuras by a neck on his debut in February, went into the Grade One contest on the back of a maiden hurdle success on the same Welsh track in November.

Sent off a 16-1 chance for the two-mile contest, the William and Angela Rucker-owned L’Astroboy stayed on under pressure to take the runner-up spot, some two and a half lengths behind the winner.

The six-year-old Kasmin gelding has taken the race well, according to his Llancarfan handler.

Williams said: “The horse ran well. We took a bit of a punt running in a race like that but I’ve no complaints whatsoever.

“He has run a very solid race. He still looked a work in progress in many aspects. You could only take positives out of it. You couldn’t in any shape or form be negative at all.”

With favourite Authorised Speed soon beaten and Irish raider Arctic Bresil pulled up, some were quick to crab the form of the eight-runner contest, which was run in soft ground.

“It was funny,” said Williams. “Before the race, everyone said what a good race it was. So, I read all these reports before the race about how hot a race it was, then I read the reports after saying what a poor race it was.

“So, what I am going to do, as always, is leave it to the experts in the press!”

Though L’Astroboy could take on Tahmuras again in the Sky Bet-sponsored Supreme on March 14, Williams is keen to let the dust settle before making any decision.

“I haven’t got a plan,” he added. “It was very sporting of the owners to have a crack at a Grade One after winning two races at Ffos Las.

“We are genuinely delighted with him and genuinely delighted with how he has come out of the race.

“I don’t think we will get too fixated on anything. We have got loads of options. He will be entered at Cheltenham in the two-mile race.

“I wouldn’t think we will go further at this stage, although he looks like he will stay further down the line. We will see if the experts are correct in their assumptions.

“I’m very lucky in that I have never, ever listened to anybody else’s opinion, I’ve only ever listened to mine – it has always served me well down the years!”

I can’t believe it actually happened – Noel Fehily savours a huge day

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Though he has ridden Queen Mother Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle winners in a stellar career, Noel Fehily has seldom had too many better moments than he had at Sandown on Saturday.

The retired jump jockey’s Midas touch has continued out of the saddle, for his burgeoning ownership venture with Dave Crosse enjoyed a golden afternoon when Tahmuras and Love Envoi gave the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates major victories in the Grade One Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle and Listed mares’ hurdle respectively.

Tahmuras was only the syndicate’s second Grade One runner, with Love Envoi having finished a creditable second over hurdles at Fairyhouse last season.

Yet both won in impressive fashion on a rain-sodden afternoon at the Esher track, leaving Fehily, 47, delighted and stunned in equal measure.

Noel Fehily (right) walks in behind Tahmuras
Noel Fehily (right) walks in behind Tahmuras (PA)

“That was some day!” he said. “It’s been an unbelievable day for us, really.

“It is bit different being a jockey when you are riding. It is very hard to compare the two, but it is a great feeling when you get one across the line and you have 10 owners there. Their expectations are high and when you get the job done, it is a massive feeling.

“It is unreal. It has obviously been in the pipeline since they won their last starts, they were coming here. The build-up was obviously going to be big.

“I woke up this morning thinking it would be great to get one of them to win. That would be a massive day for us, but to get two of them to win – and in the manner in which they did – was just unbelievable, really.”

Tahmuras gave champion trainer Paul Nicholls his fifth success in the Tolworth Hurdle, the last coming 15 years ago with Breedsbreeze.

The six-year-old is now expected to go straight to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, providing his jumping improves.

He clattered through the last two flights of hurdles in the two-mile event and while he had travelled supremely well in the soft ground, jockey Harry Cobden did well to regain momentum to score by two and a half lengths.

Fehily said: “He did improve massively over the summer and grew, and he won nicely first time out this season.

“I think that race he won at Chepstow was quite a nice race. Paul said after the race that he would go to the Tolworth, which was a brilliant dream to have, but I thought he might be flying a bit high. But all he’s done is improve.

“He was much better at Haydock (when winning a Listed novices’ hurdle) and I think he was better again today.

“On that ground, to take the last two out of the ground, and stop the way he did, and then pick up again, it is the sign of a very good horse. Only very good horses can do that.

Love Envoi and Jonathan Burke won with plenty to spare
Love Envoi and Jonathan Burke won with plenty to spare (Steven Paston/PA)

“I think he won today despite the ground. I’m not sure he was actually in love with that ground.

“He is a hell of a good horse.”

That completed the double on the card for the syndicate after Love Envoi took her record to seven wins over hurdles from eight starts for trainer Harry Fry, scoring with consummate ease by 13 lengths

Fehily added: “Harry Fry does a brilliant job training her and knows her inside out. I suppose the pressure was on today.

“The pressure is on every time she runs now, because she has been running up such a sequence of wins.

“She was 100-30 on today and was expected to win, and you kind of fear something will go wrong, but I thought she was brilliant the way she went through the race.

“She is getting more professional as she goes, and she finished off the race strong. She just looks to me like she is improving all the time.

“It is quite possible we will go to Warwick with her. We’ll see how she comes out of the race, but there is every chance she will go there before Cheltenham.”

The magnificent brace on a big Saturday was the perfect advertisement for the business, which offers a 10 per cent share in each horse and allows each of the 10 owners to receive tickets and see the horses run each time.

The Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates have 26 horses in training currently and Fehily added: “We have a lot of nice young horses coming through and they’re the ones we want to have, the likes of the Love Envois and the Tahmuras, who start off in bumpers and progress to hurdlers and chasers in time. Those are the types we are buying.

“But honestly, we could not have had a better day. It is unbelievable. I can’t believe it actually happened. It has been a brilliant day!”

Xcitations gives Pam Sly plenty to celebrate at Sandown

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Xcitations jumped with aplomb under Jack Andrews at Sandown to make it four wins from seven over fences.

The Pam Sly-trained gelding drew well clear of joint-favourites Corrigeen Rock and Frero Banbou in the Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Chase.

Sly’s runner had been beaten Elixir De Nutz by a neck on his last run at Doncaster and the runner-up franked that form with an easy success at Wincanton half an hour before flag-fall at Sandown.

Though they all appeared to have a chance three out, Xcitations was always cruising on the outside of Corrigeen Rock.

By the time Grey Diamond unseated when about to challenge two out, 3lb claimer Andrews had the race in the bag and the 7-1 chance came home with nine lengths to spare.

Happy connections with Xcitations
Happy connections with Xcitations (PA)

Xcitations, who received a 20-1 quote from Paddy Power for the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March, has not been easy to keep sound, as Classic-winning handler Sly explained: “Every time he ran last season he was lame afterwards.

“He won his last two, but it wasn’t until the third lot of X-rays that we discovered he had fractured his pedal bone.

“He’s a nice horse and I’ve always thought that, but as to the future, well I’m not keen on going to Cheltenham.

“We bought the mare in Ireland and there are two more of her foals to run, by Telescope and Dartmouth.

“When I saw he was 16-1 in the betting last night I couldn’t believe it.”

I Have a Voice was a surprise winner
I Have a Voice was a surprise winner (Steven Paston/PA)

I Have A Voice was put into a handicap on his last run following a runaway Southwell Juvenile Maiden Hurdle success and was well held.

Back down into calmer waters of the two-mile Unibet Extra Places Every Day Juvenile Hurdle, the Nigel Hawke-trained Vocalised four-year-old proved much too good for his three rivals.

The Molly and Paul Willis-owned I Have A Voice, sent off a 17-2 chance, made all the running and drew clear between the last two flights under 3lb claimer Tom Buckley.

He went on to score by 17 lengths from Mombasa, with Gary Moore’s 4-11 favourite Bo Zenith a bitterly disappointing third, having been under pressure approaching the second-last.

Hawke said: “At the end of the day we can’t do any more than win, he’s a fit horse that knew his job, he’s genuine and he jumps.

I Have a Voice and jockey Tom Buckley caused an upset in the opener
I Have a Voice and jockey Tom Buckley caused an upset in the opener (Steven Paston/PA)

“Let’s get him back (home) and see what the handicapper does. He will need to go up if he’s going to Cheltenham, but what I would say is he wants this (soft) ground.”

Connections of Bo Zenith, who arrived at the Horsham yard on the back of an impressive win at Auteuil in a race where the form had worked out well, were left scratching their heads.

Moore said: “Jamie (Moore) said he needed the run but was generally disappointing.

“He did have a setback and maybe I’ve rushed him to get him here, thinking he could win when he’s 80 per cent fit?

“He’s grown since he arrived at the yard and I might not have done enough with him. He’s a big, raw horse who has never been away and done a gallop.

“With hand on heart, I think you can draw a line through that run.”

Certainly Red, dropped in trip, followed up his Wincanton success over three miles and a furlong, outstaying his rivals in the Read Nicky Henderson’s Unibet Blog Handicap Chase.

The drop to two and a half miles proved no detriment to the lightly-raced nine-year-old, who stalked long-time leader Gemirande and Precious Elanor, before jockey Marc Goldstein made his move after the Pond Fence and took it up at the penultimate obstacle.

Though running down the final obstacle, the Lydia Richards-trained and bred 9-1 shot quickly galloped clear of Gemirande to score by six and a half lengths.

Richards said: “The owners (Venetian Lad Partnership) go back to Double M, who won 13 races, and I have two older brothers of this fellow, Good News and Venetian Lad, and they won nine races each.

“I knew he would stay the two and a half (miles) as the weather went our way when it rained this morning.

“At the bottom of the hill I knew he would stay and nothing would come to get him from the back.

“In fact, he can bounce off better ground because he’s so genuine, and he goes on anything.”

Wishing And Hoping springs 50-1 surprise in veterans’ final

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At the grand old age of 13, Wishing And Hoping caused a 50-1 shock in the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final at Sandown.

The Mel Rowley-trained winner travelled sweetly on the front end in the three-mile test and barring accidents, looked to have the race won at the Pond Fence.

Though he got in close at the penultimate obstacle and did not jump fluently at the last, 3lb claimer Alex Edwards’ mount had enough to spare to defeat the staying-on top-weight and co-favourite Ramses De Teillee, who was two and a quarter-lengths down at the line, having made up plenty of ground from the last fence.

Run To Milan stuck on for third, some five lengths behind Up Helly Aa King fourth.

Wishing And Hoping had not won since taking a veterans’ handicap chase at Aintree in October 2021, although he finished runner-up in that same event in October last year and this was a career-best effort off a mark of 139.

Phil Rowley, Mel’s husband, who runs the Bridgnorth, Shropshire yard’s point-to-point string, was in two minds about the ground after persistent rain.

“We were concerned about the ground and thought let’s see how he gets on,” said Rowley.

“I couldn’t believe how far he was in from at the Pond Fence, I just hoped he’d keep going and he did.”

He added: “We’ve had a professional licence for two years and this is by far the biggest success we’ve had. It’s a privilege to train horses like this.”

Delighted winning owner Trish Andrews said: “It was heart stopping. We have had horses for a long time, but that was really extraordinary. For a horse of his age to show such amazing form and to jump so well it was brilliant. My heart is still thumping out of my chest. I thought I was going to need the ambulance.

“We have done this hobby for quite a long time. He has been a bit of a slow burner, but Phil, Mel and Alex have really found the key to him and given him his confidence and that is why at 13 he is showing the form he is.

“He was too buzzy as a youngster and he needed more time before going under rules and in hindsight we did it the wrong way round with him. If we could turn the clock back he should have done this when he was four or five.”

Tahmuras takes top honours in Tolworth for Nicholls and Cobden

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Tahmuras gave Paul Nicholls a fifth Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle in sauntering to an easy success at Sandown.

A stylish winner of a Listed contest at Haydock on his previous run, Harry Cobden’s mount travelled supremely well throughout in the two-mile contest, and was content to allow Colonel Harry to make the running under Gavin Sheehan.

Though clearly green, he loomed large approaching the last two flights as the disappointing favourite Authorised Speed laboured in the soft ground.

Despite walking through the last two hurdles, Cobden quickly got the six-year-old back on an even keel and the 5-2 second-favourite scored in style by two and a half lengths, giving the champion trainer a first win in the race since Breedsbreeze some 15 years ago.

The Evan Williams-trained L’Astroboy stayed on for second, having the tables turned on him by the winner who had been beaten a neck by that rival in a Ffos Las bumper in February last year, while Nemean Lion stuck on for third, a further length behind.

It was also a stellar afternoon for the owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates, who had earlier taken the Listed mares’ hurdle with the Harry Fry-trained Love Envoi.

Fehily said: “I was a little bit worried as the ground looked really chewed up and you are never sure how a young horse will handle it, but I loved the way he turned into the straight and Harry was riding him with loads of confidence and he was the last horse to come off the bridle.

“He will be in the Supreme and the Ballymore at the Festival and we will speak to Paul about where he goes, but he looks pretty good and reminds me of Summerville Boy on whom I won the Supreme.

Tahmuras and Harry Cobden proved too good
Tahmuras and Harry Cobden proved too good (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s a good staying horse with a bit of quality and I would say Hansard isn’t far behind him. Gary (Moore) loves him and he will be stepped up for his next run.

“This is absolutely massive. We put our hands in our pockets to buy these horses myself and David Crosse and we try to find members for them and when they get a great day out like this it is brilliant for everyone and that is very important.”

Nicholls said: “It was good. It took 15 years, but you have got to have the right sort of horses, haven’t you?

“To be fair, we thought he’d go very close. Scott Marshall, who rides him every day, said it would take a good one to beat him and I’ve got a lot of faith in Scott.”

Betfair cut Tahmuras to 10-1 for both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Nicholls added: “He has just done nothing but improve and he is like Noland and Al Ferof, who both won the Supreme for us – they are both strong and good stayers with good enough boot for two (miles).

“So I guess we will go to the Supreme with him – we’ll so straight there – but he is the mirror of Noland and Al Ferof.

Harry Cobden returns victorious with Tahmuras
Harry Cobden returns victorious with Tahmuras (PA)

“He is an improving young horse and we will sharpen his jumping on better ground. We are delighted with him.

“It is hard jumping out of that deep ground up that Sandown hill. They all jumped fairly ordinary, but he’s fairly adequate and when we get that better ground in the spring, we will sharpen his jumping up.”

Cobden – bagging this third Grade One in a matter of weeks, after the King George and Challow Hurdle – said: “The only time he ever got beat was in a bumper at Ffos Las, but he’s right up there and cantered all over them today.

“He did struggle for a few strides down the back, but it was very soft back there.

“Paul’s really put his foot on the gas with the horses and this is clearly one of the best (novice) hurdlers in the country.

“I don’t know if he is quite as good as (Challow winner) Hermes Allen yet, but he isn’t far off. I think Hermes Allen would be the best at the moment if you were to put me on the spot to ride one tomorrow. This lad is pretty good.

“You would run him over two and Hermes Allen over two and a half. I’m not sure he would be quite good enough to beat Hermes Allen. They are the sort of horses that surprise you the more you ask the more they give.”

Tolworth success with Authorised Speed would mean so much

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Victory for Authorised Speed in the Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle would be the perfect way to repay owner Pat Gallagher, according to trainer Gary Moore.

It was earlier in the year that Gallagher came to the Moore family’s rescue during the time Josh Moore was recuperating in a Liverpool hospital from numerous serious injuries sustained in a bad fall at Haydock.

The Champion Bumper fifth’s owner provided the family with the use of his helicopter for the duration of Josh’s long stay in hospital, which came as a huge help for the Sussex-based Moores in making the regular 250-mile plus journey to Merseyside.

With Josh now home and assisting his father at their Lower Beeding base, Moore believes success for Authorised Speed in the Grade One at Sandown on Saturday – which often serves as a key Supreme Novices’ Hurdle trial and was won last year by Constitution Hill – would be the “icing on the cake” in terms of showing his gratitude to Gallagher.

Moore said: “Pat is an unbelievable man and he was so helpful when Josh was in hospital. He is such a kind and generous man.

“I don’t know how many times I went to Liverpool in the helicopter to see Josh, it must have been six or seven times and that is not cheap to do that.

“It saved a lot of time and headaches on the road to fly me and Phoebe, Josh’s partner, up there. It was a massive help and he couldn’t have done any more.

“I could never do enough for him and to get him a Grade One winner would be fantastic.

“He has had a few flat horses with me before and he is very grateful for everything you give him, but a Grade One winner really would put the icing on the cake as a way of thanks.”

With Luccia an expected absentee, Authorised Speed is set to face seven rivals this weekend – all bar two of which are last-time-out winners.

Market opposition to Authorised Speed comes from Tahmuras, who runs for Paul Nicholls, and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Arctic Bresil who makes the journey from Ireland and will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore.

Fehily team lining up dual Sandown assault

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The Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate have a Saturday to savour as both Love Envoi and Tahmuras are aiming to shine at Sandown.

The ownership group is run by Fehily and fellow former rider David Crosse, with both Sandown entrants flying the flag in their silks across the past few seasons.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras was a point-to-point winner and then a good bumper horse last year, winning one National Hunt Flat contest and going down by just a neck in another.

He made his hurdles debut at Chepstow in November, contesting a 15-runner maiden and prevailing by eight lengths under Nicholls’ stable jockey Harry Cobden.

Later in the same month he headed to Haydock for the Listed Newton Novices’ Hurdle, and again the six-year-old was a winner when coming home five and a half lengths clear of his nearest rival.

Tahmuras and Harry Cobden
Tahmuras and Harry Cobden (Nigel French/PA)

A step up in class for the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle now awaits on Saturday, with Fehily hopeful the bay can prove up to the task.

“He’s been brilliant this season, he’s won his two hurdle races and was quite impressive at Haydock,” Fehily said.

“It’s a step up in class but we’ve got to see if he’s up to it.”

Sandown is also the target for Harry Fry’s Love Envoi, winner of the Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season.

The seven-year-old started her campaign at Sandown in early December, winning a handicap hurdle under a heavy allocation in open company.

Love Envoi winning her seasonal debut
Love Envoi winning her seasonal debut (Steven Paston/PA)

She will contest the Listed Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares’ Hurdle at the same track at the weekend, a race intended to pave the way back to the Cheltenham Festival.

“Love Envoi won around Sandown last time, she’s been in good form so we’re looking forward to getting her out again,” Fehily said.

“She was really tough and the second (Playful Saint) has gone out and won under top weight since and that’s always nice to see.

“She’s won around the track twice before, so we’re looking forward to going back there.

“That will be the plan, the Mares’ Hurdle is where we want to go and hopefully Saturday is another stepping stone to getting back there.”

The pair are providing Crosse and Fehily’s syndication venture with a great deal of success in what is a relatively early stage in their partnership.

Love Envoi
Love Envoi (John Walton/PA)

“Myself and David Crosse do it together, we both have the same ambition. We both want horses that are good enough to compete in these sorts of races and luckily we’ve got a few nice ones this season,” Fehily said.

“Cheltenham Festival winners, as I know from when I was riding, are so hard to come by.

“To get one last year was unbelievable and the dream will be to get another one, but we won’t be taking anything for granted because I know how hard they are to get.

“We’ll go back there this year and give it our best, it’s a very hard place to win.”

Snowden has Sandown plan for You Wear It Well

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Jamie Snowden is plotting a course to the Cheltenham Festival via the Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown for his smart Challow Hurdle runner-up You Wear It Well.

Three from four and unbeaten over hurdles heading into the Newbury Grade One, the six-year-old was far from disgraced when both stepping up in both trip and grade, chasing home the ultra-impressive winner Hermes Allen for a brave silver medal.

With black type in the bag and confirmation he has both a talented and versatile mare on his hands, Snowden plans to follow the route taken successfully by Love Envoi in 2022 by running over two and a half miles at Sandown on February 16, before dropping back to the minimum distance for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March.

“It was a cracking run,” said Snowden reflecting on You Wear It Well’s Challow efforts.

“She was fairly unexposed going into the race and although the winner has won quite easily, she has travelled through the race nicely and has beaten the rest of the field easily. She was only just over four lengths behind the winner and a good way clear of the third so it was a fine effort.

“I think we might consider the Grade Two Jane Seymour at Sandown next and then the Festival.

“She stayed the trip well at Newbury, yet her form before that was over two miles so she is a smart mare. She’s a talented mare, she’s not slow but she also stays. You take the impressive winner out of the Challow and she has beaten the others really nicely. She’s a good mare and has bags of talent.”

Snowden also saddled £185,000 recruit Passing Well to finish fourth in the two-and-a-half-mile feature at the Berkshire track on New Year’s Eve.

Although well held, the Folly House handler was far from disappointed with the performance and will now seek to find the six-year-old a winnable opportunity for a confidence booster in calmer waters before potentially returning to Grade One action with a step up to three miles at the Festival in the spring.

“He was fourth and ran a belter, he was just outpaced at a crucial time before staying on really well in the final furlong,” continued Snowden.

“He is obviously a three-mile chaser in the making and I would say we will drop back and try to win with a penalty and then we might head up in trip and have a think about the Albert Bartlett perhaps.”