I Like To Move It bounced back to form to record a wide-margin success in the Wincanton Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle.
Four runners went to post for a decent renewal of the Grade Two contest but Nigel Twiston-Davies' stable star blew the field apart with an impressive performance. I Like To Move It could only finish sixth in the Relkeel Hurdle when sent off as favourite but he proved a different proposition dropped back in trip on better ground.
Last year's winner Knappers Hill set out to make all under Bryony Frost with the eventual winner and First Street always keeping close tabs on the pacesetter but the latter failed to pick-up as the pace quickened and the writing was soon on the wall for Nicky Henderson's charge.
In contrast, Sam Twiston-Davies appeared to have plenty of horse under him and I Like To Move It moved to the front in the flash of an eye and had the race in safekeeping long before jumping the final flight.
"I was happy turning in and when I kicked him in the belly it was almost disbelief when I saw the big screen," the winning pilot told Racing TV.
“It was an impressive performance.
“Dad and I were speaking on the way down. If you were to make a race for him, it would be the International Hurdle over a stiff two miles at Cheltenham but we have come today to one of the easiest two mile tracks on good ground and he has looked as fast as ever. He’s an incredibly pacey horse at home and he showed that today.
“The two options at Cheltenham are the County Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle. God know what he will be rated after today so I think it’s only fair he goes and has a go at the Champion Hurdle.
“Obviously Constitution Hill is an aeroplane but there is massive money on offer and he deserves to be there. To go and win is going to be incredibly tough but it’s horseracing and you never know. He is still a young horse and we are lucky to have him.”
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Nigel Twiston-Davies said: “That was good, wasn’t it!
"Two and a half miles at Cheltenham last time was no good for him but brought back to two miles we were certainly hopeful today.
“I know we can’t get anywhere near Constitution Hill, but we will give him something to think about (in the Champion Hurdle) and where else can we go after a performance like that?
“We were totally knackered by the International Hurdle being off, which he would have won with his head in his chest as you have seen today. But he is back again and Cheltenham here we come!
“He is right up there with the best hurdlers I have trained like The New One and Khyber Kim, who was second in the Champion Hurdle.”
Jamie Shepperd, who owns I Like To Move It with his wife Anne-Marie, added: “We just love this horse. He was our second ever purchase and has taken us on a most amazing trip.
“We were sat at home and Nigel had a runner in a bumper called I Like To Move It. We watched the race and I texted Nigel after he won the race by nine lengths and said congratulations. Within five seconds of sending the text I got a call from Nigel saying ‘do you want to buy him?’.
“I asked Anne-Marie and she said let’s buy him. Nigel being Nigel said he’s top of the market but we purchased him and he bolted up in his first race for us here at Wincanton.
“He seems to love Cheltenham, Wincanton and Newbury. We have been hit by the weather this year and got the tactics wrong in the Relkeel.
“The dream is to go to Cheltenham now and hopefully Aintree after that. Constitution Hill is one amazing horse and State Man is coming over from Ireland, so the Champion Hurdle is going to be a real good race.”
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