Prince is too Hasty for his Sandown rivals

End-of-season formlines can often prove deceptive and punters were stung again when Hasty Prince proved the surprise package on the first day of the Betfred Gold Cup meeting at Sandown Park on Friday.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding, who appeared to have something to prove against rivals of the calibre of Westender and Intersky Falcon, ran out an easy winner of the Concept Hurdle in the hands of Barry Geraghty.

Always in the front rank, the 10-1 chance stole a yard from his rivals at every obstacle with some fluent leaping and went clear when asked to quicken up at the penultimate flight.

Hasty Prince galloped on strongly up the hill, coming home 10 lengths clear of Rigmarole (6-1), who held on for second by a head from Westender, with Starzaan - outpaced and last on the home turn – staying on for a close fourth.

“It looks like all the rest were over the top!” smiled the winning trainer, with his tongue slightly in his cheek.

“We always thought that he really wanted two and a half but he has just blossomed in the last couple of weeks. He’s in at Punchestown next week and we might go there.

“He jumped very well and he’ll definitely go over a fence too. It looks like he might just be improving.”

Bookmakers make the winner a 20-1 chance for next year’s Smurfit Champion Hurdle, while Paddy Power offer 16-1 that he will win the Arkle Chase in either of the next two seasons.

Stablemate Intersky Falcon, who faded to finish fifth after throwing a strong-looking challenge down two out, will now undergo an operation to help his breathing.

“He’s doing everything right but he’s getting done on Wednesday and hopefully that will help him,” added O’Neill. “He’s just not right in his wind.”

Paul Nicholls was delighted with the performance of runner-up Rigmarole, who returned to form after running no sort of race in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle on his previous start.

“He got a knock at Cheltenham and needed a week off afterwards,” he said.

“As he is quite a stuffy horse he probably wouldn’t have been at his best for this and had quite a good blow afterwards but he will be back next season - starting off at Kempton in October.”

Mondial Jack gained a dramatic victory in the Betfred “In Running On Sport” Handicap Chase under an inspired ride from Tony McCoy.

Martin Pipe’s charge was only third behind pacesetters Enzo De Baune and Ei Ei jumping the last fence but he overtook them up the hill with a power-packed finish.

Leading in the final 50 yards, the 10-1 chance had three-quarters of a length to spare over Enzo De Baune (7-1) at the line with Ei Ei (7-1) half-a-length further away in third.

Pipe said: “What a great ride! Both the first two kept going but AP got to them in the nick of time.

“This horse was a bit disappointingly in his last couple of runs but this was probably a drop in class for him and he jumped better today than he has done before.”

Owner Chris Batterham added: “This is my first winner at Sandown, where I had come so close before with Rodock and Carlovent both getting done in photo-finishes.

“Hopefully Carlovent can give me a double when he runs here tomorrow!”

Pipe runs no less than seven in today’s £150,000 (€224,000) Betfred Gold Cup.