£290,000 purchase Mt Fugi Park cut for Albert Bartlett after maintaining unbeaten record

Mt Fugi Park enhanced his big reputation when maintaining his unbeaten record with a hard-fought success in the 2m4½f novice hurdle.

Bought for £290,000 after winning an Irish point by five lengths, the Jonjo O'Neill-trained six-year-old made a successful debut under rules at Ffos Las in October and took his record over hurdles to two from two with a half-length victory from previous winner Alcedo. 

"For a horse who's run in a point and a maiden hurdle, he's still very green," winning rider Jonjo O'Neill Jr told Racing TV. "He'd missed a bit of time since October and the ground is quite testing, so we just thought we'd make sure he'd finish instead of trying to win it from the start, but it's worked out nicely.

"He's got a lovely way of going. I had to wake him up a bit earlier than expected because he wasn't doing an awful lot. He picked up quite nicely and we went well clear, I think the second is probably a fair animal too."

Mt Fugi Park featured among 63 entries for the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, for which he was cut to 33-1 (from 50-1) with Paddy Power, at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

On Mt Fugi Park's spring targets, O'Neill Jr added: "He'll get a mark after today and that'll probably direct us [where to go] a bit more. There's a three-mile race at Haydock in the middle of February that might suit him, but we won't over-face him too much this year. 

"He'll be a nice chaser, so whatever he does going into the spring we'll be happy with, but we'll be looking forward to him next year."

First winner

Amateur jockey Shaun Greene had a day to remember when riding his first winner under rules aboard the Bill Turner-trained Ede'Iffs Rock in the opening 2m4½f mares' handicap hurdle.

Read more race reports:

Down Royal: Jack Kennedy stretches further clear in jockeys' championship with 79-1 four-timer

Newbury: Warren Greatrex pays tribute to Burrough Hill Lad groom Andrew 'Scobie' Jones after striking with underachiever

Do you want £700+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.