Katchit is clear at Cheltenham.

famous five for katchit

Katchit continued to make light of his humble origins and rocketed to favouritism for the JCB Triumph Hurdle after posting another game win at Cheltenham.

Scarcely bigger than a pony, he was a bargain buy for Alan King after a modest career on the Flat but has proved to be a completely different proposition in the jumping sphere.

Victory in the Wragge & Co Juvenile Novices' Hurdle was Katchit's third in succession at Cheltenham and on Saturday he beat the strongest field of youngsters assembled so far this season.

With the penultimate hurdle omitted due to the sun, there was a long run left when Pancake took over two flights out but the 2-1 favourite was always travelling smoothly for Robert Thornton.

He led well before the last and while Predateur and Pauillac both threatened, it was the French raider Good Bye Simon who troubled him most, eventually going down by a length and three-quarters.

David Pipe's Pauillac was two and a half lengths further away in third.

"I'm not surprised by this horse any more, we've been taking him seriously for a while now," said King.

"I couldn't be more pleased. He goes on any ground, but you'd think something this small shouldn't go on this soft ground."

"The Triumph Hurdle is most definitely the plan," King added.

"I had thought about the Adonis at Kempton but went for this and there are only a few weeks to go now."

Good Bye Simon could return to Prestbury Park for a rematch.

Trainer Thierry Doumen said: "The horse ran a cracking race and Mick Fitzgerald did say he might have missed a stride before the last.

"We have to talk about things. There is a lovely programme in France for him but it's hard not to be tempted by the Festival."