Gift wraps up victory
The 2004 Stayers’ Hurdle winner faced his stiffest task to date but warmed to the job through the race and came home an easy 17-length winner from Sweet Diversion.
The Tony McCoy-ridden eight-year-old had to fiddle several fences but had most of his rivals in trouble at the top of the hill, with his nearest pursuer You Owe Me unseating Carl Llewellyn four from home.
That left Iris’s Gift clear to coast home as he liked, although trainer Jonjo O’Neill acknowledged his charge still has a lot to learn in his blossoming chasing career.
“I’m very happy with him - when they keep winning you are always happy,” said O’Neill.
“He’s got plenty to learn and that was obvious to see but he’s still only a novice and experience is the only way to learn.
“His jumping got better later on and after the water jump second time, you couldn’t fault him at all - he was definitely hairy early on and I was white-knuckled.
“He’s in the Hennessy (Gold Cup) and we’ve entered him in everything, although not the Paddy Power.
“It doesn’t bother me what price he is the Gold Cup, we’ll just see how it goes.”
Iris’s Gift remains unchanged at 14-1 with the sponsors for the totesport Gold Cup.
Christian Williams started the day in fine form by taking the opening Jim & Muriel Ward 35th Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle aboard Darrias.
The partnership appeared to be cruising to victory as they took up the running approaching the final obstacle, but the 10-11 favourite slipped into the flight, almost unseating his jockey.
Williams managed to hang on though and after slightly colliding with second-placed Double Dizzy, Darrias rallied up the run-in to score by a length and a half.
Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: “This two miles five furlongs is probably more his trip. He now has to run in handicap hurdles or go novice chasing and if he does go fencing, he’ll benefit from the four-year-old’s allowance.”
Williams wasted no time in completing a quick double on Nazimabad, who made every yard of the running to take the Arkle Bookshop Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The 10-1 shot was well clear coming off the final bend and kept on strongly to come home 12 lengths ahead of Notanotherdonkey, with Baloo third.
Cantgeton also made all in the Club 16-24 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, initiating a 760-1 treble for champion trainer Martin Pipe.
