He's bloody gorgeous says Lizzie after Esprit takes Triumph trial

Preparations had been made for the addition of another Nicky Henderson-trained contender to his daunting team for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, but instead it was the unconsidered outsider Esprit De Somoza who ran away with the Smarkets Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle.

Style De Garde headed the market and the excitement for the 2m contest and from an early stage all seemed to be going as expected as he bowled along in the lead, with only second favourite Gumball for company.

However, unlike Cheltenham Festival-bound stablemates Apple’s Shakira and We Have A Dream, Style De Garde did not power away from his rivals in the home straight. Instead he was pressed harder by Gumball – and the pack were closing in.

Initially the eye was drawn to Aiguille Rouge, but a quick glance to the inside of the course brought the fast-finishing Esprit De Somoza into the picture. In no time at all he has skipped clear to a five-length success.

Lizzie Kelly, rider of Esprit De Somoza, pointed out the positives in the performance of the 20-1 winner.

She said: “He went into the race a little unconsidered [by most people] but I’ve always thought he was a nice horse. I thought it was a good race he ran in at Sandown and the winner [Sussex Ranger] has gone on to finish second in a Grade 1 at Chepstow.

“He was a little outpaced down the back but he just keeps galloping. He can travel at that good two-mile pace and quicken off it as well, not many of our juveniles would be that precocious.

"They did go hard in front but it’s probably because they thought it was a two-horse race, which it looked like on paper. I was very pleased with how he kept finding and he came away from them well.”

Esprit De Somoza was introduced into the betting for the Triumph Hurdle at 25-1 by Paddy Power, and Kelly added: “It’s definitely in the notebook and look at him – he’s bloody gorgeous.”|

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