Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase: Edwardstone back on song

Returning to the minimum trip after being too keen over two-and-a-half miles in the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase last time, Tom Cannon took the 11/10 favourite to the front as the tapes went up and he was never to see another rival.

Jumping fluently and well, he was eight lengths clear turning in and had the measure of Boothill when that rival, his nearest pursuer, fell two out.

Amarillo Sky pulled up before the last leaving Funambule Sivola to be the only other finisher – 40 lengths adrift of the winner.

Betfair and Sky Bet cut Edwardstone to 10/1 from 16s for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Paddy Power are 8/1 from 14s.

Cannon told ITV Racing: “On his day he’s as quick a two miler as you’ll get and you saw it there. I was tempted after the Tingle Creek to maybe change tactics. We had to try going up in trip first and that didn’t work out.

“He's quite a strong traveller and jumps like a two miler. Today the plan was to go forward with him and I was probably out of control the whole way but he seemed to enjoy himself and I’m delighted.

“He was fine early on at Kempton last time when we went quick but when they slowed it down he locked on and I had a bit of a wrestle with him then. He’s all speed to ride. On his day he's as quick as you’d get from A to B.

“That was great for the horse. He’s had his knockers but came up against Jonbon a couple of times and ran well. That was the true showing there of what he is capable of.”

King added: “We thought after Kempton, where we disappointed him over two-and-a-half, we kept bringing him back so we decided to come back here and pop out. He was racing within himself. I think Tom was quite happy and got a bit of a breather in coming to the Cross Fence and away he went again. It’s given me a lot of satisfaction.”

Edwardstone was completing a double on the card for the trainer following Emitom’s earlier win in the handicap hurdle and the handler said: “I think this is the best a lot of mine have been all season. I was away on holiday a few weeks ago and they hadn’t been running terribly well and I was lying there thinking ‘what the hell’s wrong?’

“So I went back to the old routine, three times up the hill. We’ve drilled these horses for the last three weeks, it’s the way we used to do it, and the results are speaking for themselves.”

El Fabiolo and Jonbon lay in wait at Cheltenham and King said: “They’re obviously the horses but we’ll be taking them on. I certainly won’t be going two-and-a-half in the Ryanair and as long as he comes out of this alright we’ll go to the Queen Mother.

“I have huge respect for the pair of them, Jonbon has beaten me twice this year and Willie’s horse looked awfully good last week and it will be exciting but we’re in the mix now."

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