'You have to shoot for the stars' - ambitious O'Brien rewarded as Dancila strikes

Fergal O'Brien's optimism was rewarded when hurdling debutant Dancila looked a natural in the bet365 Scottish Supreme Novices' Hurdle, winning by four and three-quarter lengths from General Officer.

Rated as high as 90 when trained on the Flat by Jim Bolger, Dancila was pitched in at the deep end and readily accounted for three previous winners.

"He was a top Flat horse but it's not until you get them on the track and get them jumping that you see what they're like," said O'Brien, adding: "All credit to Sally [Randell] – she sourced him and thanks to Dick and Anne Rowland for buying him.

"Tom Broughton does a great job with him at home and he schools him two or three days a week. He looked a natural today. It looked like that's what he was made to do, so I'm absolutely delighted.

"It was important to go where the ground would be nice, and if we'd have come away third or fourth but had a good round of jumping and something to build on, that was it. But you have to dream sometimes – shoot for the stars – and it worked in our favour today."

O'Brien believes the Cheltenham Festival next month will come too soon for the six-year-old, and he is instead looking to Aintree.

He said: "He may be better off going to Aintree. He'll like the flat track and he'll love the better ground. Cheltenham will probably come too soon, with the travel up and back. The fact he hasn't run for such a long time will take some getting over.

"Hopefully we can get him to Aintree – that'll be the plan, or maybe up to Ayr, but we'll have a look and see where we go."

Festival on Afadil's agenda

Afadil confirmed the promise of his hurdling debut when landing the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle under Harry Cobden. The four-year-old looked the winner some way out but hung to his right as he hit the front, slightly impeding the O'Brien-trained Fils De Roi, who finished third.

Connections confirmed Afadil would definitely be going to Cheltenham for either the Triumph or Fred Winter.

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