THE Colin Tizzard-trained Finian’s Oscar got his chasing career off to a winning start at Chepstow last Saturday, roughly 51 weeks after he landed a four-year-old maiden on his pointing debut at Portrush for the Denis Murphy yard.

Following his eight-length win that day in the hands of Jamie Codd, the Oscar gelding was sold for £250,000 at Tattersalls’ November Sale in Cheltenham. He ran five times over hurdles last season, winning four including Grade 1 events at Sandown and Aintree, and just went down by a short-head to Bacardys in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.