King rules at Warwick
Alan King completed a first-and-last-race double for the second year running at Warwick with jumping debutant Trenchant and smart bumper performer Double Pride.
The Barbury Castle handler completed the same brace 12 months ago, and got matters under way as Trenchant (4-1) used his Flat experience to claim a neck victory in the Racing UK Juvenile Maiden Hurdle.
King said of the former James Fanshawe inmate: “That is a good start as he has done all we have asked of him at home without being spectacular.
“He met the last wrong and I thought we were held but Choc (Robert Thornton) said he has handled the ground well.”
Trevor Hemmings’ Double Pride (9-2) completed the brace when showing a smart turn of foot to take the Racing UK Intermediate Open NH Flat Race.
King added: “That is probably the first time he has been on grass this year as it has been so wet at home, and he will improve.
“He is from a very good family and will probably have just one more run this year.”
Heathcliff will try and scale new heights in the coming months after rattling off a hat-trick of wins in the TurfTV Handicap Hurdle.
Trainer Richard Lee picked the seven-year-old up at the Doncaster Sales last May, and hasn’t looked back as his acquisition has sauntered home on his three subsequent starts.
Owned by Aintree chairman Lord Daresbury and ridden by his son Oliver Greenall, the 2-1 joint-favourite pulled away in effortless fashion to cross the line 27 lengths clear, and a rise in class now beckons.
Lee said: “He goes on any ground and I’ll have to think about Cheltenham and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle after that, although given his connections Aintree might be more likely.”
Philip Hobbs’ Ring The Boss pulled rank on his rivals to oblige as the 10-11 favourite in the warwickracecourse.co.uk Novices’ Chase.
Tom O’Brien’s mount finished fourth of four last time at Newbury but faced an easier task at the Warwickshire venue and collected by 14 lengths.
Hobbs’ wife Sarah said: “Tom said he jumped well and that he loved the heavy ground.
“He wasn’t right last time at Newbury and that should have been a nice confidence booster for him. We’ll now try and find a race for him at Cheltenham.”
Stamina was at a premium in the Warwickshire Handicap Chase, but the three-mile-two-furlong trip suited Henry Daly’s 12-1 chance Natoumba and he ran out a near five-length winner.
Daly said: “He will be kept to long-distances chases at stiff tracks in his rating band, and he is handling soft ground better as he gets older.”
Amble Forge bounced back from a couple of below-par efforts to land a blow for the Tizzard family in the Ray Cooper Handicap Chase.
Trainer Colin Tizzard said of the 4-1 winner: “He looked good when he won at Chepstow but the yard went quiet for a while after that, and I realised after Plumpton that is he best going left-handed.”
