A review of the rest of the action from Monday's meeting at Chepstow where Gary Moore's long wait for another Grade One winner ended.
Finale joy for Moore team
Gary and Jamie Moore claimed their first Grade One prize since Sire De Grugy's Tingle Creek success in 2015 when Porticello ran out an impressive winner of the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.
It was an attritional renewal of the Chepstow showpiece and jumping the last the winner only had the hard-pulling Saint Segal to beat.
He had that feat accomplished moments after the flight and powered to the line to score by eight and a half lengths.
Sky Bet halved the winner in price to 10/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, while Betfair and Paddy Power offer 12/1.
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The winning jockey told Sky Sports Racing: “I can’t believe dad hasn’t had a Grade One hurdle winner to be honest. We have hit the crossbar a few times. I was not mad about running him today due to the quick back-up from Doncaster, but dad and Ollie Harris, the owner, were keen to have a go and it has proved the right call.
“He is a lovely big horse and I just thought we could mind him a bit this year, but they are here to race and we’ve won a Grade One, so we will all enjoy that. When he is in tight, he smashes through the hurdles, but he will be better when he jumps a fence.”
Moore added: “I got a nice position and we had quite a smooth run around. When he hit the front, he was having a bit of a look around and he was probably looking for another hurdle.
“He will be better when he is a five- or six-year-old, as he is a chaser. He has gone on that ground today, but he is equally effective on good ground. I mucked up at Doncaster, as I went too slow on him. If I had gone hard at Doncaster, I might not have had a horse for today, though.”
Moore senior said: “It was a good performance, but a lot of things were in his favour today, which helped. But he can only do what he has done. He is a big horse and the hurdles just get in the way. He doesn’t treat them with much respect.
“As for another run, it depends if we go to Cheltenham or not. It is not the be all and end all for me. He is big horse with a future, but we’ll see how he comes out of the race today. Jamie was not keen on running him. He’s such an expert for telling me not to run!
“I wouldn’t know when or where he runs next, whether it is the Victor Ludorum, as he needs the experience, I don’t know what else there is for him. He is horse that is one for the future. I wouldn’t put him away, as they are a long time in the stable.
“Apparently this is my first Grade One win over hurdles. What a crap trainer – I’m 65 years of age and that is my first Grade One over hurdles!"
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