'He had plenty left' - City Chief slashed for National Hunt Chase after comfortable Towton win

City Chief was slashed in price for the National Hunt Chase after following in Ahoy Senor's hoofprints with a clear-cut win in the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Novices' Chase.

James Bowen went on from before halfway in the 3m race and came home a five-length winner on the Nicky Henderson-trained 7-2 shot, who won a three-runner handicap at Hereford last month.

But the jockey fears he may not be quite ready for the 3m6f Grade 2 at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is quoted as short as 7-1 by Paddy Power.

"He was good," Bowen said. "I had to make plenty of use of him because he wants further really but he jumped better today.

"I don't know about Cheltenham as he's still got a bit of growing up to do. He'd stay the trip but he may be more of an Ayr horse. I think he had plenty left at the end."

James Bowen with the Towton Novices' Chase trophy on medieval day at WetherbyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Cheltenham is off the agenda for 4-5 favourite Ballygrifincottage, who was behind when pulled up and burst a blood vessel.

He had been a candidate for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and trainer Dan Skelton said: "The ground was too quick, everything was happening too fast and he bled. It's back to the drawing board but we'll look after him and he'll be fine."

Skelton had made a better start to the day when Get Up Mush bounced back from a disappointing effort last time to land the opening novice hurdle.

"He made a really nice start then we found he had ulcers after his next run at Warwick," the trainer said. "We treated them and he was a different horse."

The trainer later landed the hunters' chase with Not That Fuisse, who gave teenage rider Heidi Palin her second winner of the week.

You've got to love Island 

Ruby Island has gone from tearaway to potential Cheltenham Festival contender and it is all thanks to her groom.

Marcus Haigh, 22, got the plaudits after the six-year-old landed the mares' novice hurdle by five lengths under Jamie Hamilton, making it two from two over jumps and earning a possible return to Prestbury Park, where she was fourth in a Listed bumper last November.

Marcus Haigh: groom of Ruby IslandCredit: David Carr

"It's all credit to Marcus," said trainer Mark Walford's father Tim. "He's been with us since he was 15 and he's done a top-class job with her. She was very difficult, in fact she was dangerous – she galloped through some rails one day.

"The Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham could be a possibility for her. She's very very good and she'll stay further."

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