AINTREE

PHILIP Hobbs is quickly making up for last season, when sickness in the yard set him back for several months. He won the big race at Aintree on Saturday, the Rewards4Racing Handicap Chase, with War Sound, who took a race worth nearly £50,000 with surprising ease.

King’s Odyssey, who ran well in some good Cheltenham handicaps last term, was inexperienced over the Mildmay fences but led five from home and was still in front turning for home. Tom O’Brien had quietly moved War Sound into contention, however, and the 11/2 chance led at the last before pulling six lengths clear.

Remarkably, War Sound was placed in eight chases last season without winning any of them. He is still qualified for novice events at nine, which gives Hobbs plenty of options, and O’Brien felt he saw out the two-and-a-half mile trip more effectively this time.

WHOLESTONE SCORES

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Wholestone was a late absentee at Wetherby recently but made up for it by winning the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre Hurdle in good style from Vision Des Flos and Unowhatimeanharry, who is not quite the force of old.

Wholestone was never far away and quickened to go two lengths clear of Vision Des Flos at the last. He saw it out well and will go for the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, followed by all the top staying races.

SANDOWN

WIND surgery seems to have worked well for Colin Tizzard’s Elegant Escape, 100/30, who battled on well to land the four-runner Listed 188Bet Future Stars Intermediate Chase at Sandown on Sunday.

Connections must still be wondering how Thomas Patrick failed, because he led, jumping well, and even took a length out of the winner at the last as they went clear. However, Tom O’Brien rode a strong finish to prevail by half a length.

The big disappointment was Nicky Henderson’s 4/6 favourite Terrefort, who was too good for the winner at Aintree in April but jumped poorly here and could never join issue. He has something to prove now. Tizzard and O’Brien were completing a double after Eldorado Allen’s very impressive victory in the maiden hurdle.