Gordon Elliott has scored the Turners Mersey Novis hurdle for the fourth consecutive year.
It looked like another front run masterclass for Harry Cobden, who was equally successful in Paul Nichols’ Caldwell Potter on Friday at the late John Hales’ famous silk.
The highly acclaimed 6-year-old bravely defeated the long Eintree home straight challenges of Henry de Bromhead’s Coctail Divin and Willie Mullins’s Funiculi funicula, but he was skillfully delivered by Gold Cup rider Mark Welsh, so there was no answer to the slow impulse of honest policy.
The 5/1 chance was filled with running and attacked the strike at half length, with the Regent walking keeping the funiculi kunicula second.
Elliott, who attacked Brighter Daysahead 12 months ago, said:
“We are absolutely delighted with him because I think he was probably going as fast as he could.
“He will definitely go further next year. Staying is his game, as you can see.
“I don’t know if he’s crossing the fence or going to continue the hard ring. I’ll enjoy it first today.”
Elliott was previously a trainer for Caldwell Potter and was sold to new connections including Ir Alex Ferguson.
On this occasion, the Regent walk, partly owned by Ferguson, was beaten second, and the two shared a paddock hug.
“Sir Alex loves this game and he says he did well. He said he did well yesterday. We wanted to keep Caldwell Potter, and that’s the game we’re in,” Elliott said.
“This was a lucky race for me. It’s four wins.”
Among the runner-ups, Nichols said:
“It wasn’t easy with him all season, but he’s starting to get there mentally and that was his best run. The other day the run at Wincanton made him better and he’s starting to get colder – today he thinks he was probably.
“He calmed down and jumped up very brilliantly, like Harry said he was quicker from the end to the line.
“In the end, his future is beyond the fence. I’ve always said, anything he wins in the hurdle will be a bonus. He’s an exciting horse for the future and we’ll clean up him and chase him in the fall.”
