Souffleur wins Ballymore Hurdle at Newbury
Souffleur followed in the illustrious hoofprints of Denman and Wichita Lineman as another wide-margin winner of the Ballymore Properties Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
Another extraordinarily cheap purchase for racing’s bargain-hunter, Peter Bowen, Souffleur was collecting a fourth jumping victory.
But this Grade One was by far the most prestigious and he now tops the ante-post list for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The four-year-old had a point to prove here, having left it too late to take victory last time and was consequently returned at a generous 7-1.
Testing ground separated the men from the boys but with Tom O’Brien replacing Paddy Merrigan, Souffleur was more in contention this time and pulled six lengths clear of Elusive Dream by the finish.
“I only gave five grand for him and he was quite a good Flat horse,” said Bowen.
“He’ll probably run in the Cheltenham novice – he’s young enough but I think he’ll have one more run before then.”
The Welshman can invest his winnings in Souffleur at 10-1 with William Hill or 14s with Coral for the Ballymore Properties event.
Elusive Dream was representing Paul Nicholls and Harry Findlay, whose Denman took the rescheduled Challow at Cheltenham in 2006.
Nicholls said: “I’m chuffed with the run as he would not have been happy on the ground.
“We will wait for it to get better in the spring.”
The champion trainer had even more to smile about with the hurdling debut of Celestial Halo, who was not beaten far when seventh in the St Leger on the level.
There is still room for improvement as the 6-5 favourite hung to the right in the home straight of the Happy Birthday Laura From Bathwick Tyres Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
But Ruby Walsh straightened him up and he careered away to score by 14 lengths.
The Triumph Hurdle will be the main objective for the gelding, with Blue Square and Stan James among the most generous at 10-1.
“I’m very pleased, especially as we know he prefers better ground,” said Nicholls, who was congratulated by Celestial Halo’s former handler Barry Hills.
“He’ll have one more run somewhere and then go for the Triumph.”
The same team also struck with 8-11 favourite Dear Villez, who came home 10 lengths clear in a moderately-contested bravohair.com Novices’ Chase.
Nicky Henderson unveiled a contender for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in Khyber Kim (7-1) but was just pleased to land a contest named after one of his fine old horses in the Thurloe Geos Introductory Hurdle.
In what looked a strong contest, Mick Fizgerald just had too many guns for the game Theatre Girl.
“We were going to run him at Kempton on Boxing Day last year but he came back after work with a split pastern, so here we are about 369 days later,” said the master of Seven Barrows.
“He was very good and I’d say he’ll have one more run before the Supreme.”
Another on a recovery mission was Moon Over Miami (7-2), who avenged a disappointing showing three weeks ago to turn over 4-7 favourite Big Buck’s.
Charlie Mann’s six-year-old remains eminently capable but the trainer is still at a loss to explain why he performed so badly at Sandown last time.
Forced to make his own running in the Bathwick Tyres Andover Novices’ Chase, Moon Over Miami (7-2) was good value for his half-length defeat of the highly-rated Big Buck’s, who was in receipt of 10lb.
“He’s done very well, as he’s not a front-runner and was not doing a tap,” explained Mann.
“He’s won twice and run badly twice this season and I haven’t a clue why.
“He’s on course for the Arkle now and will have two runs before.”
Epsom handler Pat Phelan also has a fine specimen on his hands with The Big Orse, who is not ironically named.
Sent off at only 11-2 for the Thurloe Thoroughbreds Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, the half-brother to Collier Hill dominated from start to finish.
“He’ll be entered for the Cheltenham bumper, but I wouldn’t like to take on fast horses on very fast ground,” reported the trainer.
Nougat De L’Isle, the 7-2 favourite for the in-form Tizzard team, stayed on best in the Bathwick Mandarin Handicap Chase.
