Tat challenging for Europe

No sooner had Sizing Europe advertised his claims for next year’s Arkle Trophy with a smooth win in Ireland than Tataniano struck back for the home team with an equally impressive performance at Cheltenham.

This was a second victory over fences for Paul Nicholls’ gelding, who showed remarkable efficiency and speed in his jumping during the Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase, a race won by many fine horses over the years, including Best Mate.

When his only serious danger Fosters Cross crashed out at the third-last, victory became a formality and Ruby Walsh coasted to the line.

Nicholls said: “That was perfect. He went on the ground better than we thought and it was the right trip.

“He’ll have one more run, probably at Christmas, and then he will be back here for the Arkle and then hopefully Aintree and Punchestown.

“We won this last year with Tatenen but he’s a bit slow and wants further. This horse is all speed and more in the Azertyuiop mould.”

Sizing Europe is now a general 6-1 shot with Tataniano a point bigger for the Arkle while Nicholls and Walsh struck again later as Ghizao (7-2) outpointed 11-10 jolly Lidar in the Listed Griffins Richard Davis Awards-sponsored bumper.

Khyber Kim finally fulfilled his potential in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.

A source of constant frustration to trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, this £100,000 Grade Three was his first win since joining the stable last season.

As James de Vassey (6-1 joint-favourite) tried to slip the large field, Paddy Brennan concealed Khyber Kim (9-1) right out the back and although they crept gradually into contention, he was only released after the final flight to better the other joint-favourite Harry Tricker and the powerful Medermit.

“I said on the way out I’ll either be a hero or I’ll get the sack but it worked out well,” said Brennan.

Twiston-Davies added: “It was a brilliant ride, although I was watching it with (owner) Caroline Mould and at one point we were saying ’what a dreadful ride’.

“The horse is a complete monkey and he tries when he wants.

“He’s in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and we might give him another run. If it doesn’t work, we could save him for the Festival.”

Tell Massini (15-2) strung them all out in the Grade Two Cleanevent Novices’ Hurdle, trainer Tom George reporting: “He’s not a flash horse but he just gallops.

“We’ll probably give him three or four weeks now and I’d be keen to step up to three miles.”

There was another local winner as the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle went to the Wolf Moon and trainer Martin Keighley, who once worked on the Cheltenham groundstaff.

“This horse will make a better chaser but we might keep that for next season and now plan towards something like the Coral Cup,” he said.