Zafarabad impressive

Zafarabad leapt straight to the head of the Triumph Hurdle betting with a smooth victory on his jumping debut at Kempton yesterday. The grey was installed 8 to 1 favourite by Ladbrokes after he sped away from Borazon to clinch the Walton Juvenile Novices' Hurdle by two and a half lengths.

An initially generous quote of 16 to 1 from the Tote quickly disappeared as a £3,000 bet laid on the course forced the odds down to 10 to 1. He is 12 to 1 with William Hill.

Aidan O'Brien's Rainbow Frontier is the Tote's 8 to 1 favourite while Rainwatch, who beat Borazon three lengths on his last start, remains at the head of Hill's prices on 10 to 1.

Trainer David Nicholson last lifted the juvenile hurdling crown when the prolific Mysilv struck in 1994 and has high hopes for his latest recruit. "He's been a natural since day one," he enthused.

And bloodstock agent David Minton, who bought Mysilv as well as Zafarabad, recalled: "David did a Mysilv after Zafarabad schooled for the first time. He told me `I've got another one'."

Zafarabad was secured privately from the Aga Khan out of John Oxx's stable for Elaine Baines after he ran fifth in the German Derby,

He initially joined Roger Charlton with a view to running on the Flat and worked with Pentad, making his jumping debut in the same race. But Pentad, rated superior on the Flat, found Zafarabad different class over jumps as he trailed in more than 40 lengths adrift in seventh.

Minton added: "We bought him in July and he was going to run on the Flat for Roger, who will get him back at the end of the season." He used to work with Pentad and there was nothing between them but there was today, thank goodness."

Zafarabad's time was two seconds slower than Road Racer who completed a hat-trick in division one of the Ashford Novices' Hurdle.

Road Racer, 7 to 4 favourite, was up against a potentially smart debutant in Cool Edge, a Group Three winner on the Flat.

But that rival ran out of stamina turning into the straight and was eased down to finish seventh as Road Racer romped to a 21 length success from Dual Or Bust.

Although he handled yesterday's soft surface, similar conditions at Cheltenham could rule him out, according to trainer Paul Webber.