Cheltenham Friday

THE new season at Cheltenham started on good ground despite heavy rainfall on Thursday evening, that precipitation perhaps a blessing given the race times were notably quicker than for the same day 12 months ago when the ground was also called good by outgoing clerk of the course Simon Claisse. Claisse will be in situ for the prestigious November meeting, but will step aside in December, allowing Jon Pullin to settle into the role before the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The opening race lost much of its interest with the defection of Off Your Rocco, leaving recent Persian War winner Camprond (Philip Hobbs/Aidan Coleman) to go off at prohibitive odds for the opening two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle.

He led throughout to win by four and a half lengths from Gordon Elliott’s Mars Harper, but not before the runner-up had loomed up menacingly to join him seemingly going best at the penultimate flight. This was more workmanlike than his impressive Chepstow win, but that’s understandable given the messy race.

Top-notch debut by Third Time Lucki

THE squareintheair.com Novices Chase looked a competitive enough race on paper, but was turned into a procession by the talented Third Time Lucki (Dan/Harry Skelton), who took over from the front-running Fidelio Vallis at the water jump (where the Nicholls horse showed a worrying tendency to lug badly to his right). He proceeded to put his rivals to the sword with an impressive display of jumping at speed.

The winner was chased home at a distance of eight and a half lengths by Buddy Rich (Gordon Elliott/Davy Russell), and the pair were 16 lengths and more clear of the others.

Those distances are not unusual in testing ground, but the winner scored in a time faster than the Racing Post standard, and this must go down as a top-notch debut.

Third Time Lucki didn’t always deliver what he promised over hurdles, but he was a notably strong traveller and the former pointer was foot-perfect over these stiff fences, which augurs well for the future. This was his first start after a breathing operation, incidentally.

Dan Skelton was bullish about his prospects: “I’ve always considered Third Time Lucki one of our best horses. He’s now mature, I’ve tinkered with his wind and Harry can really ride him. We’ve been chuffed to bits with his jumping at home and everything has come together.

“We might come back here on the Sunday of the Paddy Power meeting, but if the ground was bad then he’d go to the Henry VIII. Ultimately he’s coming back here in March. He’s a pure two-miler and the faster they go the better.”

McConnell raids with Bardenstown Lad

JOHN McConnell has an excellent strike-rate with his runners at British tracks, and he took his record with such runners since 2016/’17 to 24 winners from 74 runners when Bardenstown Lad (Sean Bowen) took the 888Sport What’s Your Thinking Novices’ Hurdle over three miles.

A staying-on third behind Tullybeg over two and three-quarter miles at Navan on his previous start, he appreciated the return to further, and despite coming off the bridle earlier than the placed horses, his stamina kicked in from the home turn.

The 85/40 favourite proved a length too good for market rival Dragon Bones (Ian Williams/Harry Skelton), with the pair pulling 10 lengths clear. The winner could still sharpen up his jumping technique, but he is genuine and clearly has stamina as his strong suit, so ought to go on to better things.

All five of the runners in the 888Sport Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase started at single figures, and four had a chance in the straight, but it was Annual Invictus (Chris Gordon/Tom Cannon) who kept going best after a bold jump at the last. The 11/4 second favourite hit the line with three lengths to spare over the pace-setting Danny Kirwan.

Bold Invictus

Annual Invictus was beaten by fourth-placed Faivoir when the pair made their respective chase debuts at Uttoxeter, and it was as much the half-mile-longer trip as the 8lb swing in the weights which made the difference, with the son of Mahler seeming to find a sharp two miles an insufficient test at the Staffordshire venue.

The winner stopped the clock a spot inside a time of 4:48secs, which is a modern course record, albeit at an underused trip.