Racing: Germans eye triumph with Eluna

Irish horses have always been feared and France has had success in recent years but what price a German winner at next month’s Cheltenham Festival?

A good deal shorter than it was, as Eluna stamped herself a serious contender for the JCB Triumph Hurdle by following up last month’s success on her British debut at Warwick by comfortably defying a 7lb penalty in the Ryton Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle on the same course.

Having been all out to score by a length and three quarters four weeks previously, she was much more impressive this time and had her odds for the Cheltenham contest cut to 20-1 from 33-1 by Ladbrokes.

After racing freely in the early stages, she was sent to the front after the fourth flight by Peter Gehm and could be called the winner before the home turn.

The 9-4 shot eventually passed the post eight lengths clear of Rock’n Cold, with 15-8 favourite Per Amore the same distance back in third.

‘‘The filly has definitely improved from her last run here,’’ said trainer Christian Von Der Recke. ‘‘She had had a little break before that.

‘‘She was a lot more relaxed today. Peter said she had a bit of a problem with the really soft ground but once she got going she was fine and she was flying at the finish.’’

Upgrade went on from victory in this race to land the Triumph in 1998 and Von Der Recke is full of hope that Eluna will do the same.

‘‘This was a different class to Cheltenham but the faster pace and better ground there will suit her,’’ he said.

‘‘She was quite keen in the early stages here but with a strong pace at Cheltenham she won’t pull.’’

‘‘I ran Reveillon who finished sixth behind Paddy’s Return in the Triumph Hurdle in 1996 and I rate her much better.’’

Biggest difficulty for Eluna had been an error at Thursday morning’s declaration stage which saw her initially eliminated from the field for this race.

‘‘They said when I rang up I declared the jockey Peter Gehm and not the horse - but why would I declare a jockey without a horse?’’ Von Der Recke said.

‘‘It was a good thing that it was recorded and it was sorted out.

‘‘I will take no chances for Cheltenham - I will declare the horse, the jockey and the trainer!’’

Henry Oliver landed the 100th winner of his career on the John Spearing-trained 14-1 shot Hopbine, who beat Jacklighte Bellevue by a length and a half in the EBF ’National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle qualifier.

‘‘I rode my first winner around five years ago and that’s the 100th of my career,’’ Oliver said. ‘‘It’s nice to do it for Mr Spearing as he does a very good job with his horses.

‘‘Simon Sherwood has held my licence for the last three years but a lot of small trainers have supported me and I keep getting winners, which is great.’’

Oliver’s 38th winner of the season puts him three ahead of Jonjo O’Neill’s conditional Liam Cooper in the battle for the claimers’ crown but he is far from confident of maintaining his lead to the end of the season.

‘‘Liam has a big yard behind him and I haven’t,’’ Oliver said. ‘‘My main aim is to ride 50 winners in the season.’’

Drum Battle ended a long barren spell as he beat top-weight Zaggy Lane by 14 lengths in the George Coney Challenge Trophy Handicap Chase.

‘‘He hadn’t won since Richard Dunwoody scored on him at Fontwell three years ago,’’ said trainer Bill Turner.

‘‘Richard said that day he could go on and win the Midlands National but he has had leg problems and it has taken us three years to get him back.

‘‘He is 10 but he doesn’t have much mileage on the clock and I knew he was well handicapped.’’