GINO Paletta and Simon Such are what you might call lucky owners.

Having been convinced by Nigel Twiston-Davies to get involved with an unnamed son of King’s Theatre who was such a recent arrival at Grange Hill Farm that he was simply known in the yard as “the new one”, they stuck with the unimaginative name, and soon realised that their investment was going to pay dividends.

The New One’s progress through the ranks to become the leading British hurdler is well established, and he looked better than ever when conceding 8lb to Vaniteux in Cheltenham’s International Hurdle a week ago. However, but Such and Paletta are no one-trick ponies themselves, and Blaklion gave the owners a double on the card when running away with the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle.

Given the pair only have three horses in training currently, that’s pretty impressive. That other horse is Benbens, who very much caught the eye before unseating in the Becher Chase at Aintree recently, and bids to make amends in the Welsh National.

The nine-year-old is normally a sound jumper and looks the ideal type for the Grand National itself, and if the cards fall right it’s not entirely inconceivable that the down-to-earth duo could be challenging for the leading owners’ title come season’s end.

Such considerations are perhaps unrealistic, but they certainly have strong chances of landing the Champion Hurdle, and while it’s easy to crab the form of the International by using Olofi as a means of rating the race, that would be unfair, and tactical races are always difficult to rate accurately through the beaten horses.

What impressed me about the winner’s effort was that he allowed Vaniteux to get alongside at the last, and indeed to bag the favoured rail, but quickly put the race to bed with his trademark turn of foot.

The concession of weight in such races is never easy, and I believe The New One hasn’t got the credit he deserves for winning so easily.

He was beaten in the Christmas Hurdle last year, but can’t be opposed in the same contest should he follow that route this time around. As for Blaklion, he is clearly suited by a test of stamina and benefited from a more aggressive ride when beating Anteros in the Bristol Novices race, having set just a dawdling pace when outsprinted at the Open Meeting.

His experience of the track will be a big plus if coming back for the Albert Bartlett, and while he will face much stronger opposition in March, he appeals as the type for whom a big-field scenario will bring further improvement. Underestimate him at your peril.