Sale-topper Lecale's Article makes impressive hurdling bow

More than a year and a half after setting a new high at the Goffs Punchestown Sale, Lecale's Article started to show what the fuss was all about with a very impressive debut for Nicky Henderson at Newbury.

The €320,000 that David Minton of Highflyer Bloodstock collected the gelding for was a record at that particular event as he produced an astonishing result for Patrick Turley, who had bought Lecale's Article at the previous year's Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale for just €26,000 and trained him to a wide-margin win in a point-to-point at Largy just before the sale.

Henderson reported Lecale's Article to have had minor issues at home and pointed him towards the Boscasports The Retail Bookmakers Choice Maiden Hurdle, a race in which the same owners Joe and Marie Donnelly's Shishkin fell early in 12 months ago before going on to land the Supreme at Cheltenham.

Lecale's Article on his previous public appearance at the Goffs Punchestown SaleCredit: Goffs

Sponsors Sky Bet quoted the six-year-old at 20-1 for the Supreme after his seven-length win, which was characterised by some athletic jumping mixed with signs of inexperience.

The son of Malinas was bred by Abbeylands Farm out of the Definite Article mare Brookville, who was placed over hurdles and is a sibling of the capable pair Fistral Beach and Rons Dream.

"Really nice horse," jockey Nico de Boinville told Racing TV. "The guvnor and the team have been really patient with him but it’s nice to get another nice one for Mr Donnelly. He jumped well, albeit to a bit left, but the way he went through the line and how I was pulling up, he did impress me."

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