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Chief gets season up and running

The Doyen Chief finally got what has so far been a frustrating campaign up and running when toughing out victory in the Coral “New” Horse Racing Bet Builder Handicap Chase.

After having his chance of success at Bangor on his return hampered with jockey Tom Bellamy losing an iron late on the Doyen gelding then saw his Coral Gold Cup effort at Newbury fail to get off the ground after being left behind following the standing start.

Victory for a fleeting moment looked to be going his way at Cheltenham last time out until his stamina failed to hold out over an extended three and a quarter miles.

But there was to be no denying the 5/4 chance of his first success off the season in the £35,000 contest with regular rider Bellamy always appearing in control of matters aboard the market leader.

While You Darling threatened to spoil the party late on when edging into a slender lead over the last, The Doyen Chief rallied back well under Bellamy before going on to score by a neck to complete doubles for both the winning rider and trainer Alan King.

Robin Smith, assistant trainer, said: “Three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham is a bit different to three miles around here. He put in a good jump at the last and he was good from the back of the last to get back up I thought.

“It was frustrating (in the Coral Gold Cup) and that sort of threw a spanner in the works. It was nice to get back on track today.

“He is a lot more rideable for the jockey now. Tom said that the horse making the running today was not doing him any favours, but he could manoeuvre him out, however in the past that might have caused a few more problems.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he came back at the end of next month for the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase. I would think that would be the logical thing to do.

“He has made nice steady progress for a while and it wouldn’t surprise you if had a race like the one back here next month in him.”

Baron on Supreme trail

Noel Fehily knows what is required to win a Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Baron Noir moved a step closer to a potential outing in the Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser with victory in the opener.

Sent off the 4/6 favourite to follow up his last time success at Uttoxeter, form which was franked by the runner-up Bobby’s’ Nelson scoring at Ffos Las on Thursday, the Alan King-trained six-year-old duly obliged in the Join Coral Bet £10 Get £50 Novices’ Hurdle.

Racing close to the pace throughout, the odds-on market leader, who runs in the silks of the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate, moved into a lead he would hold on all the way to the line over three out.

Although the Vadamos gelding was slightly untidy at the penultimate flight in the two mile test a good jump at the last helped him see off the late effort of Kocktail Bleu by two and and a half lengths, much to the delight of Fehily, who won the Supreme aboard Summerville Boy in 2018.

Fehily said: “We’ve always thought the world of him, but they have to go and do it. I never wanted to talk him up too much until he actually went and did it, but I think he showed there today that he travels plenty strong enough.

“In fact if anything today I didn’t think they didn’t take him along fast enough for far enough and Tom (Bellamy) had to let him on and he got a little bit idle in front. First time out Alan made us aware that the horse would need his run, and the ground was quite quick everywhere and Alan wasn’t able to get him on the grass for a gallop or anything.

"He was running fairly undercooked, but at the same time we needed to get out and run him. He ran a good race that day against decent horses and he had a blow after the second last. I think there is a little bit more to come and in the spring time on spring ground you will see a bit more from him.”

And having watched Baron Noir secure victory at the Punchestown Festival back in May, Fehily now hopes he can do likewise at Cheltenham in March, where he will also be entered in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.

He added: “Cheltenham is Cheltenham in my book and he is going there next. We will speak to Alan, but I imagine we will go straight there now as he has had three runs.

“I would say he would go straight to the Supreme. He will be in both races, the two mile, and two mile five furlong race, but he looked like a Supreme horse today I thought.”

Aintree not Cheltenham for Precious Man

Dan Skelton will pitch Precious Man into Grade Two company on his next start after looking every inch the real deal in the Coral Racing Club Join For Free Juvenile Hurdle.

Although tasting defeat when sent off favourite on his British debut at Cheltenham 56 days ago the Almanzour gelding made no mistake this time around in the two mile prize.

Always moving stylishly in the hands of Harry Skelton the Johnny de la Hey-owned 4-11 market leader breezed to the front of the field still hard on the bridle on the run down to the last.

And after meeting the last on a good stride the odds-on favourite only needed to be kept up to his work to score by four and a quarter lengths to set up a return to the track on February 21st for a tilt at the Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

The winning trainer said: “I learnt a lot about him and he learnt a lot at Cheltenham. He was way too keen and that was just because he was young and inexperienced, but also because at that age we don’t like to be too hard on them. We probably had him way too fresh.

“We have done a lot more with him in the last ten days building up to this race just to take that little bit of fizz out of him and I think today that has been the difference.

“Today he has been relaxed, travelled and settled a lot better. We are glad to see him do what he did.

"His jumping is very fast. Harry holds him into the bottom of all the jumps trying to teach him to hurdle the best he can. We want to make him the best hurdler we can.

“He is as fast a juvenile I’ve had since Allmankind. To be honest with you, Allmankind was fast because he insisted on being fast. This one is naturally very pacey.

“It was a first winner for the family (de la Hey) with us and funnily enough Harry rode them their first ever winner at Hereford years ago called Minella Stars so it was a nice little circle completed.”

Looking beyond his next start Skelton admitted that it would be the Grade One Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree that would be his main end of season target opposed to the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Skelton added: “He will come back here for the Adonis and then I imagine he will go to Aintree as that is more his cup of tea. In terms of ability (him and Maestro Conti) are fairly well matched, but Maestro Conti is more of a stamina type horse whereas this one is all speed. And we have said that right from the outset.”

King patience rewarded with Lookaway

Neil King has been forced to play the waiting game with stable star Lookaway, but his patience was rewarded with victory in the Coral “Daily Rewards Shaker” Handicap Chase.

Restricted to just three starts since making a winning debut over fences at Uttoxeter in November 2024 the Grade Two bumper winner made up for some of that lost time on his step back up to an extended two and a half miles at the Sunbury venue.

Turning for home it looked as though the 7-2 chance was going to have to settle for a place at best with both Old Cowboy, and eventual runner-up Leader In The Park, appearing to be travelling much the stronger either side of him.

However, as Leader In The Park made a mistake at the third last, and Old Cowboy crashed out at the penultimate fence it left Lookaway clear out in front with just the final fence left to negotiate. And after safely tackling the last Lookaway bounded away up the run in to score by 24 lengths.

King said: “His novice chase season got off to a bright start then he was third at Cheltenham in the Arkle trial then he had a breathing problem and that is why we missed all of last season.

"Ben Brain did a wonderful job with him. He had three goes at getting it right and he has got it right. Fortunately we have got him back this season.

“Jack (Quinlan) said he came to the second last, and last with his ears pricked so there was a bit more left. He would have damn near won at Newbury last time if he had jumped the last, but he has put it to bed and done it well today.

“I have to hang on tight every morning to him as he loves life and loves work. I’ve always loved him as he is a high class horse.

“He is a gorgeous horse and if you could paint the perfect horse it is him there. Mr (Peter) Beadles deserves a good horse and he keeps coming up for him.

A step up to three miles, and a return to the track, could be next up for Lookaway with King hinting that the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase on February 21st could be a potential target along with an appearance at Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham.

King added: “I have probably been a bit slow stepping him back up in trip as he shows so much speed. In fairness he has been crying out for this trip and I wouldn't be frightened to go further. Three miles around here would be pretty exciting.

“The Ladbrokes Trophy could be a possible. Me Beadles is going to Cheltenham for Trials Day so it would be nice to go there in a fortnight’s time with him, but we will get him home and see how he is."

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