Howle Hill peaks at Doncaster

Howle Hill took his lifetime earnings to more than £200,000 by lifting the biggest pot ever staged over jumps at Doncaster.

The eight-year-old landed a first prize of £61,970 in the inaugural running of the williamhill.co.uk Handicap Chase to add to the £142,564 he has accrued in a distinguished career on the Flat and over obstacles.

Howle Hill (6-1) had to be rousted by Robert Thornton to overtake Lennon close home to record a neck success, with Pablo Du Charmil four lengths away in third.

“He’s been a great servant to the yard. We’ve had him since he was a yearling he’s won on the flat and over hurdles. It’s a lovely prize to pick up with him,” said trainer Alan King’s assistant, Noel Williams.

“We’ll savour this. If there’s something for him at Cheltenham he might go there.

“He was one of the first three Flat horses that we had that Alan bought as yearlings along with Trouble At Bay and Salsalino.

“He sulked in the middle of the race, so we’re not sure if first-time blinkers have helped to be honest.”

However, Thornton felt they were an aid – especially in the early stages of the race as Oneway took the field along.

“He was just neat at the last two but I had nothing to aim him at,” said the jockey.

“The blinkers helped him a bit early in the race as they went a good clip and he’s got a bit of class.”

Lennon took over from Oneway at the fifth last and looked like landing the spoils for owner Graham Wylie and trainer Howard Johnson to provide them with handsome compensation for the defeat of Tidal Bay earlier on the card.

But Lennon could not hold Howle Hill in the dying strides and had to settle for second.

Wylie said: “When he jumped the last and pinged it I thought great.

“They went flat-out the first mile and when he went to the front his ears pricked and he jumped great.

“He’s in the Champion Chase and the Ryanair if he goes to Cheltenham.

“He likes a flat track but I’ll leave it to Howard.”

Howle Hill earned a quote of 25-1 for the Ryanair Chase at the Festival, while Lennon is 33-1 for that race and also for the Champion Chase.