Volfoni strikes for favourite backers

Haydock was the only jump meeting to beat the frost and favourite backers got off to a good start when Le Volfoni took the opening H.B.L.B. Novices’ Chase.

There were only four runners and the field was quickly reduced when Mr Lewin unseated his rider at the first fence, but there was little between the other three jumping the third last.

However, Le Volfoni gradually assumed command in the hands of Joe Tizzard. Clear at the last, the 8-11 favourite went past the post with 11 lengths to spare over Tusk.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls was represented by his assistant Dan Skelton, who said: “The ground (described as tacky by Tizzard) is the key to this horse. He enjoyed it and jumped nicely, and he will now run at Plumpton on New Year’s Day.”

Odds-on backers were again on good terms with themselves when Circassian (8-15) made it third time lucky in the hands of Tony Dobbin in the Centrol Recycling Group Novices' Hurdle.

Circassian took up the running three out, and although Yaboya looked as if he might make a race of it between the last two, the former kept up the gallop to see him off and score by 12 lengths.

The winner is trained for Andrea and Graham Wylie by Howard Johnson, whose wife Sue said: “He did it well but he still has a bit to learn, Tony said he was pleased with the way he settled.

“The race will have done him a lot of good, but we don’t have anything ambitious for him at the moment.”