Punchestowns sparkles
Nicky Henderson’s beautiful chestnut had only Big Buck’s as his superior in the staying division over timber, and could well dominate the equivalent novice division over fences judged by this spectacular start.
Barry Geraghty allowed the 2-9 favourite to put his impeccable jumping to use down the home straight, with the six-year-old barely coming out of third gear to take the Grade Two prize.
Paddy Power were impressed enough to make Punchestowns their outright 7-2 favourite for the three-mile RSA Chase, with Victor Chandler going 4-1 (from 7s) and Coral making him their 5-1 joint-favourite alongside Mikael D’Haguenet.
Henderson said: “He’s been seriously well and his jumping at home has been good and accurate.
“Barry gradually let him open up and I think Barry had a bit of fun down the straight. I’m not saying he doesn’t get three miles, but he is certainly not an out-and-out stayer.
“We won’t put him in the Arkle but there is the Ryanair – although I don’t see any reason not to go three miles and we’ll have to talk about going three miles at Cheltenham.
“There is the Feltham at Kempton and a two-and-a-half-mile race at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day to consider as is next target.”
Henderson’s Bellvano attracted support for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle during the week and was cut to 8-1 across the boards after obliging as the 10-11 favourite under Tony McCoy in the Racing UK “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle.
Henderson added of the JP McManus-owned five-year-old: “He will be better in a better race as they went no pace and he was keen.
“I am not getting too carried away as it was just a maiden hurdle, but he is good.”
Willie Amos was left contemplating a tilt at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle with Lie Forrit after the 11-4 favourite continued his prolific run in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.
Had he not unseated Campbell Gillies at Aintree, the five-year-old would have landed all five of his most recent outings.
Lie Forrit has now earned a 25-1 quote with William Hill for the Cheltenham stayers’ event after his accomplished one-length call.
Amos, who had two furlongs of his Borders’ gallops washed away in the recent wet weather, said: “We were thinking about the Pertemps Final, but will have to have a rethink after that.”
Royal Mix entered the Triumph Hurdle equation as Paul Nicholls saddled the grey to a neat debut success in the Q Associates Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
The grey was a winner on the level in France and, after landing odds of 1-3 under Ruby Walsh, he was trimmed to 25-1 from 33s for the Triumph by Coral.
Nicholls said: “He had been running on the Flat in France and only came to me on October 5.
“He had a couple of easy weeks so hasn’t done much – he will improve enormously as the season goes on.
“He will definitely be trained for the Triumph Hurdle. We’ll try and find another race in a month and work towards Cheltenham.”
Jim Lewis’ Midas touch was in evidence as Rivaliste was another front-running success for the Nicholls-Walsh combination in the Sanderson Weatherall Marick Developments Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The lucky owner of three-times Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate has just six horses in training at present, but 6-4 favourite Rivaliste kept the good times rolling by posting a two-length triumph.
Lewis said: “I am absolutely delighted with that. I am shaking like a leaf and haven’t been like this for a while.
“I went down to Paul’s last week and watched him school and he was awesome.
“He won well in the end and I think he was dossing close to the line.”
