The New One back with a win at familiar starting point

Another season of top-level hurdling awaits The New One after he successfully returned to his now familiar starting point at Kempton.

Not as visually impressive as in the previous williamhill.com Hurdle, when he blew away the former champion hurdler Rock On Ruby, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 2-11 favourite fluffed the final flight this time around but picked up handily on the run-in to come two and a quarter lengths away from Hint Of Mint.

Last year’s victory led The New One to later finish an unlucky-looking third in the Champion Hurdle and gain another major prize at Aintree, and Twiston-Davies is already picking out a path towards those spring festivals.