Spot is different class
Spot The Difference is a standing dish over the cross-country course at Cheltenham and he raised the roof on the first day of the Open meeting with victory in the Sporting Index Steeple Chase.
The Enda Bolger-trained 12-year-old won all three events staged here last season and the 13-8 favourite started the new campaign as he did the last when scoring by two and a half lengths from Lord Jack under regular pilot JT McNamara.
“I am so proud of him and absolutely delighted,” said Bolger.
“The plan will be to come back here in December and then for the cross-country race at the Festival – just like last year.
“You take nothing for granted in racing but he is a grand old guy who looks after himself and he seems to be thriving on the hype.
“He might be rising 13 but he just comes alive here and JT gave him a brilliant ride too.”
Having raced off level weights here, Lord Jack – who has an official chasing mark 9lb lower than the winner – should have a decent chance of reversing the form when the pair line up for the next cross-country race, a handicap.
“If the handicapper does his job then we’ll be getting plenty of weight,” said trainer Nicky Richards.
“Mr (Trevor) Hemmings asked me to find a horse to run in these races and Lord Jack is a very game horse who can perform over hurdles, fences and this track.”
Lord Jack’s rider Brian Harding enjoyed a good day at the office, having earlier brought Bold Bishop with a withering late run to take the Beards Jewellers Cup by two and a half lengths from Tiger Cry.
Harding, an old friend of Jonjo O’Neill from his hunting days, came in for the ride with stable jockey Tony McCoy unable to do the weight of 10st.
Boychuk (8-1) produced a decisive late flourish to account for the front-running Buena Vista by two lengths in the opening Grade Two Anglo Irish Bank Novices’ Hurdle.
Winning trainer Philip Hobbs said: “He’s very, very athletic. The first time he won at Exeter he was very green but he jumped much better the next time.
“He found a lot from the home bend and with a run like that you would have to begin to think about organising him for the Festival now.”
Martin Pipe’s favoured front-running tactics may have narrowly failed to come off in that race, but the trainer rarely remains without a winner for long at this fixture.
And the stable were celebrating after Getoutwhenyoucan (5-2) made all to take the following paddypower.com Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase under Robert Quinn.
Pipe was fancied to complete a double when Celtic Son went off at 8-13 to follow up his impressive fencing debut by taking the Steel Plate and Sections Novices’ Chase.
But although Timmy Murphy’s mount jumped well, he failed to quicken up the hill and was unable to reach front-running 12-1 chance Church Island, who gave the travelling Irish punters something to cheer about as he triumphed in the colours of Beef or Salmon.
Church Island’s trainer Michael Hourigan was represented by his son, Michael jnr, who indicated a return trip next March would be in order for the winner.
The closing conditionals’ race fell to 50-1 outsider Water King, who provided trainer Robert Stronge with a welcome first winner of the season.
