SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

THE Cheltenham grandstand erupted into cries of ‘Nico, Nico’ after Old Park Star got the home team off to the greatest start possible in the SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Leading home a British-trained 1-2-3-4 from just four runners in the Festival curtain-raiser, Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville’s 15/8 favourite showed real guts and determination to outmuscle the front-running Sober Glory, who was one of the best-backed horses of the day at 9/2 (from a morning price of 16/1), and a squeezed-up Mydaddypaddy, who was in a bunched finish for third on this year’s longer-than-usual run-in.

There was some suggestion that a stewards’ inquiry into interference would be called, but with the margin of victory a length and a half, and the winner not the sole culprit for the incident that left Mydaddypaddy worst off, the result stood.

It was a disappointing beginning to the week for the Irish-trained novice hurdlers, whose main hopes Talk The Talk (seventh), Mighty Park (ninth) and El Cairos (fifth) failed to land a telling blow.

Henderson, speaking after his sixth win in the Supreme, said: “I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t go chasing next season. He’s very talented, and he’s a quick horse too. Two miles is probably perfect for him at the moment, but he’ll get further in time. He’ll get stronger and improve.

“Constitution Hill was very quick, but he never went chasing. The Altiors and Shishkins jumped fences and were champion chasers. You’d like to think this fellow can follow along those lines.”

De Boinville, sporting the colours of Gordon and Su Hall, added: “He was incredibly gutsy. There was a bit of a bump to Mydaddypaddy. He’s a class horse and fair play to him. I always thought he would stay well and eat up the hill, and that’s what he’s done. We even missed at the last and he still managed to win.”

Old Park Star, who unusually started life with three bumper defeats for Paul Nicholls, was cut to 7/2 (from 5/1) for next year’s Arkle after this.

Ben Jones, rider of Sober Glory (second)

“Annoying more than anything, because he’d jumped brilliantly all the way around. Fifty yards before the last, he just had a good look at the crowd and stuff in front of him, and just lost momentum. Then obviously that little bump after that didn’t help things. He showed proper heart to get back up to that position, and we can look forward to him next year now.”

Dan Skelton, trainer of Mydaddypaddy (third)

“I’m very, very proud of our horse. It looked like he was coming there to win, got knocked from pillar to post halfway up the run-in. It hasn’t cost us winning - fair play to the winner, he’s found a bit more. Maybe the bumping cost us second, but what a great race with a British 1-2-3-4.”

Jack Kennedy, rider of El Cairos (fifth)

“Okay run, no real excuse. He jumped well.”

Mark Walsh, rider of Mighty Park (ninth)

“Travelled and jumped great, but couldn’t quicken with them from the second last.”