Put The Kettle On comes to the boil again at Cheltenham for Coleman

Put The Kettle On issued a serious warning to her 2021 Champion Chase powerhouse rivals Altior and Chacun Pour Soi with a gutsy victory in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.

The six-year-old was making a first start since her surprise success in the Arkle here in March and the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare certainly proved that was no fluke with an exceptional jumping display.

While she moved in contention down the back straight, it became more evident that 6-5 favourite, and last year’s winner, Defi Du Seuil was not and he was pulled-up before the last.

In the straight, Aidan Coleman and a determined Put The Kettle On charged home to catch, and then gallop past, the 2018 Arkle hero Duc Des Genievres in impressive style and cause her Champion Chase to tumble to 8-1 (from 16).

“She's gone very well, she's got a massive heart,” said Coleman. “She hated the ground and was never happy the whole way. It's a testament to her ability and attitude because it was a hard race. Since November [last year] she'd run only once, so she might have been a bit rusty. When I got on top she won well.”

The length-and-a-quarter win extends Put The Kettle On’s unbeaten record at Cheltenham to three, and her season will likely now be tailored around attempting to make that four in the Champion Chase.

When asked whether she can emerge as a contender in the festival’s championship contest, Coleman replied: “Of course she can, whether that means winning or being competitive I don't know, time will tell.

“She's value for more today considering the feel I got the whole way round. She'll be there and in the money in the Champion Chase but whether it's first or fourth I don't know. She's a credit to connections and I'm delighted to ride her.”

Defi Du Seuil returns after being pulled up in the Shloer Chase at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker

Coleman was keen to praise Oaksey House and the Injured Jockeys Fund after the win, stressing that without their help he would not have been able to overcome a broken arm in time to enjoy Sunday's sweet success.

“The Injured Jockeys Fund is what puts us back on the track months before we should be," he added. "If I had my injury ten years ago I would've been out for six months. Because of Oaksey House I've halved it. We'd be lost without the Injured Jockeys Fund.”

Trainer Philip Hobbs could not find an obvious reason behind Defi Du Seuil’s disappointing run, he failed to show his usual zest in his early jumps and was never in contention.

“At this stage there's nothing obvious to say,” Hobbs said. “He just got tired very, very quickly and Richard [Johnson] thought it was best to pull him up. The first he ballooned – which he did two years ago in a novice chase there – but that surely had no effect on the result as he was travelling really well down the hill.

"We'll get him back and see how he is before making [future] plans, he seems to be fine after the race.”

Meanwhile Paul Nicholls was thrilled, if not surprised, by the good second of Duc Des Genievres on his first start since joining the stable from Willie Mullins. He finished 56 lengths clear of the only other finisher, Riders Onthe Storm.

Nicholls said: “I wasn’t expecting that from Duc Des Genievres – I didn’t know what to expect. It was a really good run and I'm delighted with him.”

Shloer Chase full result and replay

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