Epatante tanks to Fighting Fifth success at Newcastle

Aidan Coleman had a double-handful after the last flight of hurdles and a mere shake of the reins was all that was required for her to catch Sceau Royal and skip away from him in the Grade One.

Coleman punched the air, saluting the empty stands, such was his joy at winning on board the Nicky Henderson-trained superstar.

Betfair Sportsbook went 15/8 from 3s about her for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Sky Bet are 7/4 from the same price.

There was drama at the first two hurdles, with Not So Sleepy jinking and unseating Paddy Brennan at the first flight, before the loose horse caused Silver Streak to run out at the second with poor Tom O’Brien having nowhere to go.

The loose Not So Sleepy threatened to cause more carnage, but thankfully didn’t get in the way of anything else.

Henderson, speaking at Newbury, said: “It is a relief as much as anything. It shows there was no fluke about everything she did last season. I thought she was great.

“She is a proper hurdler – just quick, fast and slick. The great thing about her is she will go to sleep and you can press a button.

“She will go to the Christmas Hurdle almost certainly. That’s why this fits in better than the International (Hurdle at Cheltenham next month). I was delighted to see her do that and the gears worked.

“It was a messy race, Sceau Royal is not a bad horse and you could not ask for more. He (Sceau Royal) had race fitness, but he is a good horse. From our point of view, it was ideal. She will come on for it, but she has been here (Newbury) for a racecourse gallop and that brings her into Christmas nicely.

“I don’t think she has done anything at home that tells me she is better than last year. She has just been in good form all the way through and had a trouble-free run.

“She had a super summer and came in looking fantastic from Martinstown (owner JP McManus’ stud) which makes my job easier. It is just nice to see something quicken up like that.

“Even last year there was a question of does she go round Cheltenham as she goes round Flat tracks and has speed, but she has proven she can do it round Cheltenham.”

Coleman was impressed with Epatante’s performance in what was an eventful race.

He said: “Fair play to Sceau Royal, he must be a very genuine horse because Not So Sleepy was causing havoc.

“It was a very strange race after we’d jumped two hurdles given what happened and I feel sorry for poor old Silver Streak.

“Epatante was very professional, she won really well and I was delighted with her, she was very good.

“She showed plenty of speed, but she was a short-priced favourite and a Champion Hurdle winner, so she was entitled to do that to be fair. I was very happy – and very happy to get back on her.”

Sceau Royal’s rider Daryl Jacob was pleased with his mount and said: “He ran a super race, considering what happened early on, I’m delighted with him.”

Trainer Evan Williams said of the early incident which took out Silver Streak: “That’s life. The jockey’s fine and the horse is fine, which is all that matters.”