Rebecca Curtis matches last season's total as Idefix De Ciergues records back-to-back wins

Rebecca Curtis matched last season’s tally of ten winners when Idefix De Ciergues landed the opening 3m½f handicap hurdle for conditional and amateur riders.

The six-year-old got off the mark over fences at Chepstow last time and successfully reverted to hurdles when scoring by a length and three-quarters under 22-year-old Oscar Palmer, who will no longer be able to claim 10lb when riding for his boss Alan King after partnering his fifth career winner on his first mount for Curtis.

“We ran him back over hurdles as he was just a bit sticky over fences so we just thought it’d be a confidence boost and it seems to have done the trick,” said Curtis. “We’ll probably go back over fences next time.”

Curtis’s other runner Newton Tornado chased home Kim Bailey’s £92,000 purchase Moon Rocket, who made a successful stable debut in the 2m5f maiden hurdle. 

Despite being denied a double, the multiple Grade 1-winning trainer is buoyed by her seasonal strike-rate of 20 per cent, her best since 2019-20.

“I’m really pleased,” added Curtis. “It’s certainly going the right way again.”

Kansas collects

Kansas City Star, who finished ninth in a race involving Coral Gold Cup market leaders Senior Chief and Broadway Boy at Cheltenham last month, gave the form a timely boost with victory in the 2m3f handicap chase.

Alice Stevens was on board the seven-year-old for the first time as he recorded his third win since joining Harry Derham from Gordon Elliott.

Smart success

Smart Decision provided Tim Easterby with his first jumps winner of the season when making a successful debut in the 2m½f junior hurdle under Sean Quinlan.

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.