A review of the pick of the action from Sunday's meeting at Newbury where victory for Postmark put him in line for a run at Cheltenham.
Milton Harris will give Postmark one more run before a crack at the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, after a cosy victory at Newbury on Sunday.
The four-year-old, who is part-owned by former West Ham and Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp, was a useful handicapper on the Flat – including winning in the Racing League under Frankie Dettori – yet was a little disappointing on his hurdling bow when seventh of nine at Kempton over Christmas.
However, Mitch Bastyan’s mount proved a different proposition on his second attempt, drawing away after the last in the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Maiden Hurdle to beat three rivals by five and a half lengths and upwards, the good to firm ground putting him in a better light.
Speaking from St Moritz, Harris said of his 11/8 favourite: “He is a nice horse and I expected him to win today. He just didn’t like that ground last time at Kempton.
“I know the race cut up a bit, but the second horse (Up For Appeal) might be a nice horse.
“He is only a four-year-old. We just might look at giving him another quick run and consider then going for the Boodles. We have to have three runs before going there. I think he is a nice horse.”
Few horses in training are as consistent as Mortlach and he rewarded owners Richard Hames and Doug Pocock with a seventh success since April last year, taking the Stewart Wright Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase by four and three-quarter lengths under Paddy Brennan.
The 11/10 favourite had finished runner-up on four occasions – including in the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton – and was third in both the John Francome and the Kauto Star, since last scoring at Kelso in October.
Trainer Fergal O’Brien feels there is still an outside possibility the eight-year-old will line up in either the Sporting Life Arkle Trophy or the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.
He said: “I’m just delighted for Mortlach. He has been a good servant. When he runs in these big races, like he did at Christmas, he’s always trying his best and if Paddy feels he can’t win, then he kind of looks after him.
“He’s been so consistent – he turns up every week and he’s had plenty of races and he’s done us proud. He loves racing and he’s very straightforward. He spends most of his time in his field, eating what little grass is there.
“We might probably head to Kempton next Saturday with him. Two miles is probably short for him, so we’ll see him better over two and a half.
“You’d be a brave man to presume he won’t go to Cheltenham, especially where Paddy is concerned. Last year the Turners cut up and you just never say never. That’s why he has got those entries. You just don’t know who will turn up. We are having such a dry spell, you just never know.”
Favourite-backers were also on cloud nine when Cloud Dancer justified his 6/4 odds in taking the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle under Niall Houlihan.
The Gary Moore-trained runner, making his hurdling debut, stayed on well after the last in the extended two-mile heat to score by five and a half lengths.
"First run in a hurdle race, still quite green, only his second run but they've gone a nice pace and a good gallop and it really suited him." Houlihan told Racing TV.
"I think he'll be better over further in time and he hit the line strongly.
"Early doors, he was just a little bit big but I was really impressed with how the further he went through the race and the speed quickened he was much more slick over his hurdles; he's a natural over them thankfully. He has shown today that he has got gears and he has got an engine."
Flying Nun (7/2 favourite) put two lacklustre runs at Hereford behind her to plunder the three-mile Byerley Stud Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for Emma Lavelle, while there was a walkover for Dalamoi in the novices’ Limited Handicap Chase when sole rival Quick Draw was withdrawn because of the quick ground.
Family Business (9/4) was far from fluent on the first circuit of the Kevin & Karen Waller’s 60th Birthday Handicap Chase, yet warmed to the task when pulled out down the back straight by Gavin Sheehan.
The Richard Hobson-trained six-year-old soon had his two opponents in trouble turning for home and went on to score by eight lengths.
The closing Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Open National Hunt Flat Race saw Sheehan complete a double aboard even money favourite Idy Wood for trainer Jamie Snowden.
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