'It's easy dreaming now' - Captain Teague sets up huge season with classy Persian War success

Captain Teague, one of Britain's leading young prospects, sparked the core jumps season into life with a classy performance in the Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle.

The Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old surged clear of Resplendent Grey to strike on his first start over obstacles, enhancing his Cheltenham Festival credentials with Paddy Power shortening him to 12-1 (from 16) for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Third-placed finisher Captain Teague was the only British-trained horse to make the top ten in last season's Irish-dominated Champion Bumper, and supplied further evidence of his ability to cruise into the lead under Harry Cobden and skip clear by nine and a half lengths.

The 5-6 favourite made a few mistakes but will be given a chance to confirm his place as one of the top country's novice hurdlers with the Grade 1 Challow pointed as a big-race target. That is a familiar path his trainer has taken with some of his superstar talents, including Bravemansgame and Stage Star, and the dream is alive he could emerge as the next big Ditcheat hope.

Captain Teague and Harry Cobden on the way to winning the Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle at ChepstowCredit: Steve Davies

"That's a great start," said Nicholls. "It's easy dreaming now. I had in my mind to run him here, once after and then go to the Challow. He's obviously of that sort of level and he can only improve massively.

"He hasn't been away from home for a gallop or anything like that and that was his first gallop on grass. All he's going to do is learn, he was still a bit green but when Harry [Cobden] gave him a little crack he was away.

"It was a lovely, lovely start. He's going to be a chaser and we'll pick our season out. The Challow has been a nice race for us and it'll be a nice target. He's an exciting young horse."

While victory was significant for team Ditcheat and their hopes of landing a record-equalling 15th trainers' championship, it was a boost for owner Johnny de la Hey after the death of his great horse Cyrname only a few weeks ago.

"It's really lovely," the owner said. "I was a bit nervous this morning as we'd thrown him in the deep end a little bit, I guess he had the right to come here given what he'd done. Hopefully this is just a stepping stone. He was definitely fit but he wasn't 100 per cent tuned up for this. It's really exciting."

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