'He's got a huge engine' - Tripoli Flyer looks best of the British in Supreme after easy Dovecote win

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The Dovecote Novices' Hurdle produced Britain's best chance for the Supreme as Tripoli Flyer ran out a dominant winner under Johnny Burke.

Most of card's winners are set to avoid the Cheltenham Festival, but there was no such talk from Gloucestershire local Fergal O'Brien and owner Ismail El Magdoub.

The trainer has yet to win at Cheltenham's biggest meeting but has unearthed a fascinating contender in Tripoli Flyer, who was cut to 16-1 (from 40) for the meeting's curtain-raiser against Irish rivals Kopek Des Bordes, Romeo Coolio and Workahead.

The six-year-old took his hurdling record to three wins from four starts with a comprehensive defeat of Grade 1 runner-up Miami Magic and will take his place at the festival pending a sound surface.

"He's got a huge engine," O'Brien said. "Johnny said you can put him where you want in a race, he's got an explosive bit of speed about him. He thought he could have waited a bit longer maybe but he got the job done and we were here to win this.

"I think he's genuinely better going right-handed and he does jump a bit right, but if it's nice ground I think he's earned his chance to go to the Supreme. He's won plenty now and definitely deserves a go."

Fabulous 14 for Nicholls

He has won 14 of them now but Paul Nicholls' latest Pendil Novices' Chase victory was a surprise as Rubaud overcame a mid-race flat spot.

The 5-4 favourite set out in front but put in some sticky jumps towards the far side of the track on the second circuit and was headed by Imperial Saint. Harry Cobden propelled his mount into action, but it took until the entrance to the home straight for him to wrestle back the initiative.

A three-way battle with Boombawn and Mark Of Gold ensued over the last two fences and Rubaud dug deep to score by a length. It was a fifth Grade 2 for the seven-year-old, who won the Dovecote on this card two years ago.

"I’m amazed he won," Nicholls said. "I thought down the back he was never going to win, but he came back on the bridle and that’s just class. 

"He’s a tough horse because he’s so much better on good ground. This just opens up a few more things over two and a half miles. We can get him better than today, I know that.

"He had a hard enough race in the Kingmaker at Warwick and it’s only been two weeks, but he toughed it out there and stayed on strongly, which was a doubt. We’ll give him plenty of time, freshen him up and head to Aintree for the Manifesto Novices' Chase."

Mambo in tune for Adonis 

The Adonis Juvenile Hurdle was not won by the short-priced favourite nor was it won by a typical four-year-old as Mambonumberfive caused a 10-1 upset.

Last year's Prix du Jockey Club fifth Mondo Man was sent off the 5-6 market leader after chasing home Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba on his hurdling debut at Ascot in January, but the €520,000 purchase only finished third as another expensive former French runner stole the limelight.

The towering Mambonumberfive put a poor British debut at Cheltenham on Trials day behind him with a performance more fitting of his own €450,000 price-tag, travelling strongly and running out a length winner over St Pancras.

Mambonumberfive and Ben Jones landed the AdonisCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It's hard to start off with a horse who's got a big price tag like that because when they don't go and win first time out everyone thinks it's money gone down the drain," winning rider Ben Jones said.

"He's been working a lot better at home and he's come on loads for Cheltenham, so I'm delighted with the way he's run. He didn't jump very well over the first three or four hurdles, but the penny dropped down the back straight. He jumped well from then, travelled really nicely into it and saw the trip out well."

Called a "big lump" and a "brute of a horse" by the rider, Mambonumberfive was cut to 10-1 (from 20) for the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

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