More to come from Yanworth when he goes over three miles

Tikkanbar
Winner, 2m4½f Listed Hurdle Cheltenham, Monday, January 1
A decent field assembled for this Listed race, with Neil Mulholland’s Plumpton winner Tikkanbar taking the prize. This big, strong type looked in decent nick but he wasn’t fluent at a number of flights. One thing you cannot doubt is his desire to win because he came under pressure jumping the last and kept on responding all the way to the line.
This horse clearly possesses a decent engine because his jumping is far from the finished article.

The nicest horse in the race was Ainchea. This big chaser looked in fabulous shape but you could see his immaturity come to the fore at a couple of flights. As he came down the hill he still looked a big player but was unable to find the change of gear needed to challenge the winner. I cannot wait to see him over fences because he has a wonderful physique.

The six-year-old Springtown Lake was on his toes in the preliminaries and looked in good order. Placed behind the leaders, he travelled and moved with relative ease, but he came under pressure coming around the final bend and his finishing effort was laboured. Hopefully when his yard hits form we’ll see him at his best.

The chaser Aye Aye Charlie looked fit and was eager to get on with things. Held up off the pace, he moved with purpose after clearing the third-last but was unable to mount a challenge up the hill.

Onefortheroadtom, a tall grey by Fair Mix, looked well but you could see he was still an unfurnished type when the rug was removed. He ran a pleasing race but will be better further down the line.

Whatmore, who has won two races this season, was too keen for his own good and ran himself into the ground.

Yanworth
Winner, Dipper Novices’ Chase, 2m5f, Cheltenham, Monday
Yanworth is like marmite, you either love him or hate him. Considering he has won 12 of his 18 starts I don’t think he’s done too badly. He looked in rude health and had a 5lb turnaround with Willoughby Court.

Yanworth’s jumping was better on this occasion and he spends time in the air at a number of fences, but I thought his best leap was at the last when the pace quickened and once over he pricked his ears and idled to the winning post.

To bring out the best in him I think he requires 3m and a solid pace. He would hopefully get that in next month’s Reynoldstown Novice Chase but connections say he will probably go straight to the festival.

The huge Sizing Tennessee had clearly learned from his course win here 17 days ago because his jumping was a lot more assured and I liked the way he rallied when he came under pressure. At the age of ten I think the pieces are starting to come together over fences.

Willoughby Court lost his unbeaten record over fences but I think there are circumstances which led to his defeat. The ground was a key factor and he was unable to dominate from the front. Another thing to note is that his stable is just going through a quiet period at present.

Ballyandy returned to the track after a winning chasing debut 95 days ago looking in rude health, but you could see in the heat of battle that he made a few minor errors, which I’m sure he’ll learn from. Considering this was only his second start over fences I’m sure there’s more to come from him.

Shantou Flyer
Second, Grade 3 2m5f handicap chase, Cheltenham, Monday
Shantou Flyer only ran six days earlier when pulled up at Wetherby. He looked in decent order and, back at his favourite track, he returned to his best with an excellent performance and if he hadn’t hit the fifth from home he would have finished closer to the winner. Hopefully he can build on this performance.

The lightly raced Ballyhill, who has very little chasing experience, captured the biggest prize of his career. He was foot perfect and you could see at the top of the hill that he was going to be a big player. Nigel Twiston-Davies’s seven-year-old has shown his versatility regarding ground, and after recording his first win over fences it’s onwards and upwards.

Sametegal looked in rude health and put up a gutsy display. He was given a quiet ride and crept into contention jumping the third-last but was unable to find anything in the closing stages.

Top Gamble, who carried 11st 12lb minus James Bowen’s 5lb claim, ran an honest race in fourth.

Theinval was bursting with health and looked a big player jumping the open ditch at the top of the hill. As the field turned into the home straight he was still on the bridle, but once clearing the second-last he weakened dramatically.

Burtons Well got very warm before his jockey jumped on his back and after reaching for the fifth fence, which he just managed to negotiate, he never truly looked happy thereafter.