Eragon De Chanay booked his Cheltenham Festival ticket after running out a convincing winner of the Matchbook Betting Exchange Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.
The Gary Moore-trained four-year-old took control on the run down to the penultimate flight and quickly put daylight between rivals before crossing the line an eased-down 11 lengths clear of Erick Le Rouge.
Eragon De Chanay is now likely to run in the Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham next Wednesday.
Moore said of the 100-30 winner: "I'd rather go to Ascot at the end of the month but I think the owners would rather go to Cheltenham.
"He had coped with this ground before as he made his debut in this country at Ffos Las in the worst race in the world.
"He has grown half an inch for having a break and has put weight on. He runs better fresh and that is why I would be concerned going to Cheltenham."
Gunner too good in EBF Final
Sam's Gunner (12/1) gave trainer Mick Easterby a rare winner at the track in the European Breeders' Fund Matchbook VIP "National Hunt" Novices Handicap Hurdle Final.
Having jumped the last with eventual runner-up Dentley De Mee, the five-year-old made light work of the testing conditions to claim the Grade Three prize by seven lengths.
Winning jockey Will Kennedy said: "He saw it out really well. I got good instructions. He is a young horse with a big future.
"I was told not to get in with the hustle and bustle early to give him a chance to find his feet. This was D-Day for this season but not D-Day for the rest of his career.
"He has come up really strongly on that ground. It's a long way from the bottom of the home straight but I didn't want to go round the outside to get a run.
"He is very exciting."
Related links
