All high fives for Fitzgerald

RACING: Saintsaire lived up to his tall billing with an impressive debut success at Newbury yesterday which left bookmakers scurrying to scythe down his price for the JCB Triumph Hurdle next March.

The win was the first leg of a splendid 306 to 1 five-timer for trainer Nicky Henderson and his stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald.

Already the subject of some shrewd ante-post support at prices as big as 33 to 1, much was expected of the Nicky Henderson-trained three-year-old as he made his hurdling bow.

And Saintsaire, the 11 to 10 favourite, did not fail his supporters as he jumped fluently throughout under Mick Fitzgerald on his way to beating Vanormix by eight lengths.

Henderson was obviously relieved to have got the all-important first race out of the way for his charge.

"He has always shown a great attitude and he does everything well at home," the trainer said. "He jumped beautifully and we knew he would stay. He goes on soft ground and now we know he goes on good. He came to us straight after his last run at the end of May and pleased us right from the start."

Henderson and Fitzgerald were next on the mark when Iris Royal took the TW Clark Shopfitters' Novices' Chase.

The 9 to 4 favourite was left a few lengths clear when Mr Cospector fell at the third-last fence and stayed on all the way to the line to hold the challenge of Young Ottoman by a length and a quarter.

"He is a smashing little horse who was half the size of a couple of the others and I felt a bit sorry for him," said Henderson.

"He needs good ground - he hates it tacky - and if it came up that way then we might look at the Feltham Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day."

Next came Caracciola (3 to 1 joint-favourite) who beat King's Mill by a length and a half in the TFM Cyntergy Maiden Hurdle.

Calling Brave returned to winning ways with a clear-cut success in the TFM Cyntergy EBF Novices' Hurdle.

The Robert Ogden-owned six-year-old had unseated Fitzgerald after some sloppy jumping on his previous start at Sandown.

But Henderson said: "He looked like a nice horse again here - he got in a terrible muddle at Sandown and got everything wrong. He shapes up like a real stayer and he'll love a trip."

And the fivefold was wrapped up for the in-form duo when Royal Rosa took the concluding Scarvagh House Stud EBF Bumper.

The 11 to 4 favourite, owned by the latest incarnation of the Million In Mind partnership, held the late challenge of Scamp by a length and a half.

"I said last night that we could have anything between none and five winners here," beamed Henderson.

"A week ago I knew exactly what I was going to run in each race and it's amazing that it has all worked out.

"I'm pretty sure that this is my first five-timer and it's great to do it at my local track. The horses are running well and things are looking good."

Remarkably, all seven races on the card were shared between just a couple of jockeys and trainers with Nigel Twiston-Davies and Carl Llewellyn teaming up to take the other two contests.

Prominent Profile won his first race for more than three years in the Tote Supports Greatwood Handicap. And Navarone simply outjumped his rivals, sealing victory with a flying leap at the last.