Racing:David Pipe's great grey hope Grands Crus gave every impression he could be as capable over fences as he was over hurdles with an almost flawless debut in the Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.
The normally reserved Pipe talks in rare terms about Grands Crus, whose only defeats last season came to the incredible Big Buck’s at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, and the trainer looked particularly edgy in the preliminaries.
One minor fault for an over-exuberant leap at the top of the hill aside, the 6-4 favourite was operating at another level to some very smart horses like Champion Court and Zaynar and eventually finished 10 lengths clear.
It was only a pity his major market rival Cue Card unseated Joe Tizzard at the 11th fence of a race won by such luminaries as Denman, Imperial Commander and Time For Rupert, or Grands Crus might have been given more of a test.
Pipe said: “Horses like this don’t come around too often, so the main feeling was relief. It was disappointing for racegoers with Cue Card exiting, but it was not all about winning — it was about getting some experience under our belt.
“The race wasn’t run to suit, but he did everything that was asked of him. If he’s nearly as good over fences as he was over hurdles, we’re in for a lot of fun.”
Looking further ahead, he said: “We might look at something like the Feltham at Kempton, we’ll have to discuss whether he has another run before then. He’ll be entered for the RSA, but also for the two-and-a-half-miles race (Jewson).”
Asked about a speculative Gold Cup entry, Pipe said: “I’m not going to say no, but he has a long way to go before that.”
Festival clues abounded, despite the meeting being some four months away, and Jessica Harrington may not run Steps To Freedom again until then after the 11-8 favourite produced a stinging finish to beat Prospect Wells by a neck in the Grade Two Opus Energy Novices’ Hurdle.
“He’s had a long summer and we might just put him away until Cheltenham now, maybe with just a prep-run on the all-weather,” said Harrington. “I think he’s good. He showed today that he handled the course and he had to battle.”
Uncle Junior (9-2) prevented what would have undoubtedly been the most popular result of the afternoon by beating Garde Champetre in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. Garde Champetre was looking for his sixth victory over the course and went off the 10-11 favourite but lost vital ground when slipping entering the home straight.
He managed to recover and get back into the race, but Uncle Junior, a newcomer to the niche discipline for Willie Mullins, had a little extra up his sleeve and won by two and a quarter lengths.
Winning jockey Patrick Mullins said: “To be honest, his schooling hadn’t gone well and when Garde Champetre joined him I thought he might have got me, but we got a couple of strides in front and he’s as tough as old boots.”
Nicky Henderson took the paddypower.com On Mobile Handicap Chase for the third year in a row through three-length winner Tanks For That (13-2). Tanks For That only beat a few home in the Grand Annual at the last Festival, a race dear to Henderson’s heart as it is named after his late father.
He said: “We won this a couple of years ago with French Opera and that started his rise, but the danger is that I manage to expose them (to the handicapper) by winning this. I should think the Grand Annual will be on his agenda. He has to be fresh and doesn’t want winter ground.”
Conor O’Farrell, a late deputy for Tom Molloy, gave Pipe a third winner when a daring front-running ride on Decoy (13-2) just paid off in the cheltenhamcollection.co.uk Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. However, Jeremiah McGrath on narrow runner-up Semi Colon was given a nine-day whip ban.