Call Me Lord lands International prize at Cheltenham
Call Me Lord held off the late challenge of Ballyandy to win the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Nicky Henderson's horse was a well-supported 2-1 market leader and he travelled well throughout under James Bowen, who found plenty of cover in a tightly-packed field.
As long-time leader Elixir De Nutz faded two out the complexion of the race changed as Call Me Lord, Pentland Hills and Ch'tibello found themselves at the head of affairs with one to jump.
Call Me Lord forged to the front through the middle of the other two challengers, but Ballyandy stayed on well to press the winner all the way to the line.
There was only a neck in it in the end, with Ch'tibello winning the battle for third.
📞 CALL ME LORD is the International superstar at Cheltenham...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 14, 2019
💪 He fends off the late challenge of Ballyandy to win on his first attempt at a left-handed track.
🤔 Champion Hurdle anyone? He's now 14/1 from 25spic.twitter.com/4GD06RxCvV
Henderson said: "There was a reason for not going left-handed early on as everything he did at home was right-handed. We tried him left-handed once and he was in the car park, but he hasn't been doing that this year and that's why we thought 'let's give it another go'.
"Well done to James (Bowen). I feel so sorry for Daryl (Jacob) as he has broken his hand, but hopefully he will be back very soon as he is an integral part of the (Simon) Munir and (Isaac) Souede team."
Call Me Lord was cut to around 14-1 for a Champion Hurdle that is very much up for grabs following the sad loss of last year's hero Espoir D'Allen and the recent injury suffered by Henderson's dual winner Buveur D'Air.
The Seven Barrows handler still has a strong hand, however, with Call Me Lord joined on the list of possible candidates by stablemates Fusil Raffles, Epatante and Pentland Hills.
The latter - winner of last season's Triumph Hurdle - weakened into fifth in the International after travelling keenly for a long way, but his trainer is not giving up on him yet.
"Call Me Lord gets two and a half (miles) well. What about a new Ryanair Hurdle?" Henderson joked.
"I would not be disappointed with Pentland Hills today as he run a good race. For me, until after the last hurdle, he ran through the race like the best horse in the race. He has got burly and he will come on a lot for that.
"I'm hoping the Christmas Hurdle will be up Fusil Raffles' street and if it is good ground there is also Verdana Blue for that and Epatante - we could run the three.
"We have lost our number one gun (Buveur D'Air), but it is nice to have a few back-ups. They're better than back-ups, in fairness.
"It's a mixed division this year, so there are a lot of opportunities for someone to burst through and Call Me Lord has today.
"For once, it was worth running two."
"He's got lots of class"
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 14, 2019
Winning rider @james_bowen_ chats to @LydiaHislop following his G2 success aboard Call Me Lord in the Unibet International Hurdle
He also pays tribute to the injured @Dazjacob10 who is the retained jockey for the winning owners#TheInternational pic.twitter.com/FOgcg1thX1
Nigel Twiston-Davies was delighted with the performance of the runner-up Ballyandy.
He said: "It was a very good effort and perhaps with a clearer run he might have won, but there you go.
"Sam (Twiston-Davies) said we were stupid running in this race after going three miles last time. Maybe we should go two and a half, but there aren't many championship races over that trip.
"He is a lovely horse and the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock next month would look a really good race for him."
Last season's County Hurdle hero Ch'tibello was best of the rest in third.
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