ALAN King suffered a couple of setbacks the previous week but 4/5 favourite Yanworth provided his Barbury Castle stable with a much happier outcome in the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle at Ascot.

Ridden by Barry Geraghty in the J.P. McManus colours, Yanworth finally wore down the gallant Lil Rockerfeller to score by three-quarters of a length after Garde La Victoire had made much of the running. He jumped left at some of the obstacles and left a strong impression that longer trips will suit, which appears to rule out the Champion Hurdle.

“I thought between the last two that Lil Rockerfeller had us but then we winged the last,” King said. “He’ll have learned a lot today and physically he’ll come on. He could come back here for the Long Walk.”

That will also be the target for the runner-up, who is a credit to trainer Neil King. He was conceding 4lb here and all but landed the spoils, justifying his handler’s feeling that he could go well in the World Hurdle, taking in the National Spirit at Fontwell along the way. In tremendous form, Philip Hobbs had an Ascot winner to go with his Haydock brace when Royal Regatta, a 10/1 shot, landed the Grade 2 Stella Artois 1965 Chase over two miles and five furlongs.

Tom O’Brien, one of the most talented understudies in the business, made all on the winner and kicked three lengths clear after the last fence. However, Kylemore Lough and Jamie Moore were far from finished and battled on well to be only a head adrift at the line.

God’s Own and Eduard were not beaten far but 9/4 favourite Dodging Bullets, a former Champion Chase winner, was a major disappointment. Restless and too keen, as he used to be earlier in his career, he dropped out and was pulled-up by Nick Scholfield.

“Royal Regatta much prefers going this way round and everything was perfect for him today. The ground was right and Tom was super on him, riding him with conviction which is what he needs because he’s a little bit soft. This was the plan,” Sarah Hobbs said.

Writing horses off can prove an expensive mistake and it would be rash indeed to suppose that Sire De Grugy cannot compete at the highest level. A former winner of the Champion Chase, the 10-year-old carried 11st 12lb in the Shawbrook Handicap Chase and went clear for Jamie Moore at one stage before holding Quite By Chance (rec 17lb) by a length and a half.

“He didn’t stay at Liverpool last time but I was quite pleased with the run,” trainer Gary Moore said. “His homework has been good and this was the obvious place to come. He could have gone for the Shloer but he’s better here than at Cheltenham.”

The Tingle Creek will no doubt feature prominently in future plans.

Madden off to promising start

On a good day for Irish riders at Huntingdon, Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden won the maiden hurdle on 50/1 shot Finula for Brendan Powell. It was his first ride at the track.

“Brendan is a good friend of the family and it’s nice to ride a winner for him,” he said. “I said I’d give myself six weeks over here but I’m getting plenty of rides and I think I might stay!”

Impressive Altior

MAKING his debut over fences, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Altior, with Noel Fehily as his new jockey, beat sole rival Black Corton by a very long way in Monday’s Weatherbys Supports Starlight Novices’ Chase at Kempton. Fehily wisely allowed him to stride on from the third and, apart from a minor blip at the ninth, it was an exercise gallop. It should not be overlooked that Paul Nicholls’ Black Corton, completely overwhelmed, was a listed winner over hurdles. Allowed to come home in his own time, he was beaten by 63 lengths, suggesting that Henderson’s opinion of his embryonic star is well founded.

“He jumped really well and we’re going to Sandown next for the Henry VIII on Saturday week,” the trainer enthused. “He races with his head very low and it’s lovely - it’s a great way to go into a fence like that. He’s been exceptionally good at home. The umming and ahhing has been about whether you could turn him into a Champion Hurdle horse and I think you could if you liked, but he looks like a chaser and jumps like one.”

Blackmore strikes again in Britain

At Huntingdon on Saturday, Baby Jake, ridden by Rachael Blackmore, just held Megan Carberry on Ascendant by a short-head in the Cambridge Magazine Handicap Hurdle. It was Blackmore’s second success of the week in a race of this type.

It was hard work all the way up the straight as Baby Jake led three out, only for Ascendant to rally strongly between the last two flights and press him all the way to the line.

“Rachael is a brilliant jockey and when you’ve got a girl like her working for you, you have to make use of her,” said trainer Shark Hanlon.