Falcon flies in for Swan
Victor Chandler stood out by halving Intersky Falcon’s price for the championship to 4-1, the same odds as offered about Rooster Booster, following his three-length victory over the outsider Santenay, with Davenport Milenium six lengths down in third.
The best price available immediately afterwards was the 8-1 offered by Cashmans and William Hills. Rooster Booster heads the market with Hills at 9-2.
Intersky Falcon, with Charlie Swan substituting on the even-money favourite, for the suspended Liam Cooper, led after the fourth flight, and produced some prodigious leaps in the back straight. Having quickened away from Santenay, and with Davenport Milenium and Hors La Loi III, the reigning champion hurdler, failing to make any impact, the five-year-old appeared poised to romp away.
However, Intersky Falcon hung fire approaching the last flight, before knuckling down to his work on the run-in.
O’Neill said: “I thought he was beat three times up the straight. I was worried about the ground, but Charlie said he did his job very well.
“He’s a great little horse and he put in some great leaps down the back. He’s one of those horses who keeps on improving.”
O’Neill was non-committal about where or if Intersky Falcon would run again before the Festival.
“On form he’s as good as anything around,” he said. “It’s nice to get another opinion and Charlie thought he was a nice horse. I wouldn’t want to ride anything in the Champion Hurdle to beat him, only Rooster Booster.”
James Fanshawe took Hors La Loi III’s fourth-place on the chin.
“We took a chance on the ground and it didn’t pay off,” the trainer said. “The key is to have him right for when the ground turns in his favour.”
Willie Mullins was encouraged by the return to action of Davenport Milenium, who is generally third favourite for the Champion Hurdle at between 8-1 and 10-1.
“I was pleased with Davenport. He blew up turning for home and stayed on after that,” said Mullins. “I’ll probably give him another run, if not two runs, before Cheltenham.”
Jair du Cochet laid claim to be the pick of the first season chasers after landing an impressive victory in the Pertemps Aviation Resources Feltham Novices’ Chase.
The five-year-old, trained in France by Guillaume Macaire, beat the former dual French Champion Hurdle winner Le Sauvignon by six lengths. But, in a sad sequel, Le Sauvignon dropped dead shortly after walking off the course. Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Le Sauvignon’s owner David Jackson, confirmed that the horse had suffered a heart attack.
Jair du Cochet and his regular partner Jacques Ricou dictated the pace in the last of the three miles, but appeared in trouble when allowing Le Sauvignon, the 2-1 favourite, to slip ahead on the home turn.
However, Jair du Cochet was in front again at the third last and then quickened away impressively between the final two fences before surviving a mistake at the last fence.
“That was perfect except at the last,” said Macaire. “I am very, very happy. This is a nice Christmas for me. The horse has jumped perfectly and the doors are open for the Sun Alliance. He got a little bit close to the last one, was stopped a little bit on his landing, and the ground is a little bit slippy.”
Asked what immediate plans he held for Jair du Cochet, Macaire, pressing thumb and forefinger to his mouth as if savouring the moment said: “I don’t know at the moment. I taste the flavour.”
