NEVILLE HOTELS NOVICE

CHASE (GRADE 1)

HIS form and the betting suggested that a second top-level success in as many starts was in the offing for Delta Work, and Gordon Elliott’s charge prevailed, but this victory wasn’t without a scare or two.

Last season’s Pertemps Final winner arrived here as the winner of both his starts over fences, which included a Drinmore Novice Chase victory over the subsequent Grade 1 scorer Le Richebourg.

That level of form saw the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding, one of five representatives in the race for the champion owner, returned an 8/15 shot to give Elliott a third victory in this race in four years.

However, there was momentary cause for concern early on as Delta Work didn’t appear to be that fluent over the first couple of fences, and he did well not to be brought down when stablemate Ben Dundee crashed out at the fifth. To his credit, the talented five-year-old found his rhythm for Davy Russell, and it was all looking quite ominous for his rivals when he moved to the front with three to jump.

After the second last, Delta Work remained in charge, but Mortal emerged as a lively threat on the run to the final fence. The latter was almost upsides at that obstacle, but he made a mistake whereas Delta Work produced a much more fluent jump which enabled him to carry the day by eight lengths. There was a further gap of 10 lengths back to Blow By Blow who made it a clean sweep for Gigginstown.

“He’s a lovely horse and he’s settling much better nowadays which is a big help to him as it enables him to get the three miles well,” said Elliott. “

He has gone quite idle, which probably isn’t a bad thing, and Davy felt that from two out to the last he wasn’t doing a whole lot in front.

“Possibly we were a bit fortunate with Joseph’s horse (Mortal) making that mistake, but Davy did feel that he had plenty left in the tank. I would say that the ground is as quick as he wants and he was feeling it a little early on, but he warmed up nicely then.

“I would imagine that he will be back here for the Flogas Novice Chase in February and hopefully then it will be on to Cheltenham where the RSA would look the obvious race for him.”