Cabot Cliffs could be set for a tilt at next month’s Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, after scoring at Warwick with an all-the-way success.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Heross Du Seuil was a commanding 4-7 favourite for the seven-runner South West Syndicate Juvenile Hurdle after being sent here instead of to Saturday’s Grade Two Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.
But he rarely threatened to land a blow on the leader as Harry Skelton kicked his charge clear for an unchallenged 17-length success, and it was a performance which saw Cabot Cliffs shorted into a general price of 10-1 for next month’s Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Tom Messenger, assistant trainer to Dan Skelton, believes the four year old is more than entitled to take his chance at Jumps HQ next month and might even go to Aintree as well.
Speaking after the race, he said: “It was impressive and he’s been improving all the way through the winter. He came to us as a bit of a nervy horse, and his confidence is sky high now. He’s improving with every run, so it’s very much onwards and upwards with him.
“He’s in the Fred Winter (Boodles) at Cheltenham so we’ll see what the handicapper does today. He’s not in the Triumph, but there’s the Grade One juvenile race at Aintree (the Doom Bar Anniversary 4YO Hurdle), so something like that in the spring could be ideal for him. He definitely deserves to take his chance in one of those races, if not both.”
Another horse with a bright future is the Alan King-trained Jay Bee Why, who justified odds-on favouritism to pick up a second win at Warwick in the British Stallion Studs EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.
The six year old is building a good record at the track and held his own in last month’s Grade Two Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle – form which has since been boosted by the fourth-placed Midnight River winning in good style at Ascot last week.
A delighted King hinted that he will show patience with his charge, having opted against entering him for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
He explained: “It was a nice display. He’s just growing up all the time, and I love the way he settled today and jumped well. He probably wasn’t doing too much between the last two and then went on and quickened up, so I’m pleased with him.
“They all finished in a bit of a heap (last month at Warwick), but the fourth won well at Ascot last week and he’s a horse we like.
“We’re just sort of making him at the moment, but he’ll likely go chasing next year. I didn’t put him in for Cheltenham because he wouldn’t have been ready for that this year, but he’ll run again this season.”
