UP to time of writing, three hunter chases had been run in Britain this season with Co Cork-born, Cheshire-based trainer Joe O’Shea saddling Road To Rome to win the first two at Taunton on January 9th and at Ludlow eight days later.

The nine-year-old Choisir gelding, who failed to score when trained by Oliver Sherwood, joined the O’Shea yard over last summer and, in his first three starts between the flags, won his maiden, a restricted and an intermediate under Tommie O’Brien. The Galway native was in the saddle at Taunton where he had six rivals but, being suspended, was replaced at Ludlow by Will Biddick.