'It's amazing and really special' - gallant Numitor puts Heather Main on big stage at Cheltenham

Heather Main, who once swapped opera singing for training horses, hit a high note in jump racing terms when Numitor gave her a first Cheltenham winner.

The ten-year-old battled bravely under James Bowen to deny Copperhead in the course's only veterans' chase in the Unibet-sponsored middle-distance series.

Main has had only a handful of jumps winners other than Numitor's seven, one of which came in the £100,000 veterans' middle-distance final last season, but has become an established name on the Flat since emigrating from Alabama.

It was rodeos over racecourses which sparked her initial equine involvement but her music interests grew when studying English literature at the University of Southampton and she went on to perform solo at the Royal Albert Hall. Her first love soon prevailed, though, and she spoke of the joy of winning at racing's own great amphitheatre.

She said: "That is amazing. I mean, we weren't sure he'd handle the track, because he didn't handle Sandown, but you've just got to take your chance, haven't you? That wasn't his ground, he didn't jump as well out of it, but he still won.

"My nephew Henry Main won a pony race but that's our first winner here, which is really, really special. We bred Numitor's family too, which makes it even better."

The Oxfordshire-based trainer said the series final at Haydock on April 19 would be the target again.

National target

The Grand National could be on the agenda for King Turgeon after he followed up his Grand Sefton success with a strong staying victory in the 3m2f handicap chase.

David Pipe, though, is unsure if he will make the final field after a three-length win off a mark of 133. "He's going to have to win again but I'm not even thinking that. We'll just have to see," said the trainer.

King Turgeon (left): won at Cheltenham under Jack Tudor

King Turgeon (left) leaps to victory at Cheltenham under Jack TudorCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"He's always been a very good jumper and my plan was to win the Sefton at Aintree, which he did, and everything after that was a bonus. We'll have to look at different plans again. He's going to go up in the weights and he could be a Grand National horse one day."

Chianti Classico, the 2-1 favourite, was found to be lame on his left hind after fading into third in the closing stages.

Trainer Kim Bailey said: "He's lame behind and it's not weight-bearing, so we'll have to see."

Henderson strikes

Nicky Henderson enjoyed watching Jango Baie make an impressive debut over fences under Nico de Boinville in the 2m4½f novice chase.

Last season's Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle winner produced a clean round of jumping to defeat Springwell Bay and €740,000 purchase Caldwell Potter.

Henderson said: "My rule is to not come here first time over fences, but this lad is very clever and it was beautiful. It was very good to watch.

"Nico asked him a lot of questions for a baby who isn't the biggest horse, but he has a lot of scope. He’ll have learned a lot.”

Paul Nicholls, who trains Caldwell Potter, found plenty of positives despite the six-year-old’s 13-length defeat in third.

He said: "We’ve learned a lot and perhaps we wouldn’t be afraid to go back to two miles if it was really testing ground and we let him roll on. He’s only had a few runs over hurdles, so he’s learning all the time and I think there’s a lot more to come. You don’t lose faith after one run like this. He’ll win lots of nice races."

Country to County

Country Mile was installed at 40-1 for the Supreme after cantering clear to win the 2m1f novice hurdle for Dan and Harry Skelton.

Yet the five-year-old, who was winning for the third time, could be aimed towards the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, according to his trainer.

Skelton, who has won that festival handicap four times since 2016, said: "The handicapper will have his say and if he thinks the others have underperformed and bumps us up to 135 then it’s still shy of what you need for a Grade 1, so we’ll look at the County Hurdle."

Course breakthrough

Conditional jockey Luke Scott recorded his first Cheltenham success with a bold ride on Mirabad, who was not for catching after the rider's enterprising move in the 2m1f handicap hurdle.

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