Hobbs hopes winning duo are festival bound
Trainer Philip Hobbs had Cheltenham next March very much on his mind after impressive performances from the Paul Flynn-ridden duo One Knight and Supreme Prince at Chepstow.
One Knight displayed plenty of battling qualities to collect the Grade Two Tote Exacta Rising Stars Novices’ Chase in all-the-way fashion at the expense of the highly-regarded Le Roi Miguel.
Flynn ensured the winner’s stamina came into play as he urged his mount to lengthen in the home straight and eventually the combination had five lengths to spare over the runner-up.
Hobbs said: "Obviously we are very pleased with that as all he does is stay and he is going to want three miles. But he’s done very well to give the second horse a lot of weight and a beating.
“We’ll play it by ear about where he goes next but the long term target will be the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, however that’s a long way off.”
Supreme Prince crowned himself a hurdler with a big future when maintaining his 100 per cent record in three racecourse appearances with an easy call in the Grade Two Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal Persian War Novices’ Hurdle.
The winner was left with the prize at his mercy after Maybe The Business, who was upsides at the time, hit the deck three out and he past the post 14 lengths ahead of Priests Bridge.
Hobbs commented: “Neither our horse or Maybe The Business had been asked a question so I don’t know what would have happened. But Paul said he would have won.
“I suppose he could now go for the Challow Hurdle at Newbury at the end of December as we wouldn’t want to run him too quickly and ultimately the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle at Cheltenham would be his long-term aim.”
Yeoman’s Point made the trip across the Irish Sea from Christy Roche’s stable to pay handsome dividends when landing the Tote Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle in the colours of owner J P McManus.
Charlie Swan always had the six-year-old well placed before going to the front at the third last hurdle and running on to score by five lengths from Chicago Bulls.
Swan said: “He surprised me a bit on the ground but it is not as bad out there as I thought it would be. I steered him wide and found some decent ground and he’s done it well.”
The Steve Gollings-trained Springfield Scally caused a 20-1 upset in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) when proving six lengths too strong for Dubai Seven Stars.
After his charge had made all the running under Graham Lee, Gollings reported: “We schooled him with the intention of going novice chasing but he was a disaster so he will stay over hurdles for the foreseeable future.”
