Salver cut for Triumph Hurdle but Cheltenham bid hinges on ground

Salver stretched his unbeaten record over hurdles to four as trainer Gary Moore recorded his third straight success in the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.

A winner of the Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow last time, the Keith Graves-owned four-year-old fiddled a couple of the obstacles but showed his class by pulling clear under the in-form Caoilin Quinn.

The 2-5 favourite was cut to 10-1 (from 14-1) for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and 8-1 (from 12-1) for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle by Betfair Sportsbook, although his participation at Cheltenham will be ground dependent.

Moore's son and assistant Josh said: "He's done it nicely, it was a case of he's done what he had to do. I think he can be better than he was today because he was quite wound up and he's not usually like that. 

"It's proper heavy ground out there and as we saw at Chepstow, he goes on it and copes with the conditions. Cheltenham will be ground dependent, I think he'll only be going there if it's soft or worse than soft. If it's a good-ground Triumph, I can't see him running there."

While 2022 winner Porticello went on to finish sixth in the Triumph Hurdle, last year's winner Bo Zenith missed Cheltenham and then finished second in the Anniversary 4YO Hurdle at Aintree.

"It's quite a big occasion for a young horse and you've got Aintree as well," said Moore. "There are lots of options, including in France, and we wouldn't be in a rush to make any decisions." 

Cheltenham appeared to be off the agenda for Botox Has, who provided Moore and Quinn with a double following victory in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle.

Botox Has clears a flight en route to winning the RendleshamCredit: John Grossick

Tried in the Long Walk Hurdle and Cleeve Hurdle on his last two starts, Botox Has, who was born on this day eight years ago, brushed aside the lesser company to take his course record to two wins from two starts.

"He enjoys a flat track and has won very well," said Moore. "I think we'll probably bypass Cheltenham – he's in the Stayers' Hurdle but won't go there – and we might consider the Grade 1 race at Aintree [Liverpool Hurdle]. 

"We may also consider going to France in the spring and early summer, there's the French Champion Hurdle and other races there as well."

Cometh the hour

Not content with victory in the feature Grand National Trial with Yeah Man, trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Sean Flanagan also teamed up to win the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle with Now Is The Hour.

The two runners were a rare visit to the track for Cromwell, while Flanagan went home from his first visit to Haydock with happy memories. 

"I'm just very privileged to come here and ride for the likes of Gavin – he's produced this horse brilliantly on the day," the jockey said.

Now Is The Hour, who does not hold an entry in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, sluiced through the heavy ground to win by 17 lengths.

"It's a big thing to him as he really enjoys this type of ground," Flanagan said. "I've got into a nice rhythm and he's come home well. He's a nice prospect."

Valuable win

Nick Alexander spotted an ideal opportunity for Stainsby Girl and the front-running mare gained black type for the first time as 1-2 favourite You Wear It Well could only manage third.

Stainsby Girl was not entered in the Listed mares' hurdle due to be run at Warwick last weekend, but she proved her liking for the testing conditions in the rescheduled race to score by 12 lengths under Alexander's son Kit.

"I thought she'd run well as she's run some great races round here and I'm thrilled to bits because that's the first time she's managed to win some black type," said the trainer.

"She's ten and she'll be going to stud soon. We'll see whether we have another go or two, but maybe we'll just send her off."

Last season's Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well proved a disappointment after failing to recover from a bad mistake at the sixth hurdle.

Festival option

Cuthbert Dibble put himself in contention for Cheltenham after grinding out victory in the Pertemps qualifier.

Assistant trainer Willy Twiston-Davies said: "The Pertemps Final has got to be under consideration, he's had a hard race but he'll definitely have an entry and we'll see what the handicapper does."

Read more: 

Yeah Man stays on best to provide first Haydock winner for Gavin Cromwell and Sean Flanagan in Grand National Trial 

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