Jacob’s Ladder climbs another rung in Michael Purcell success

Jacob’s Ladder may have earned himself a late call up to Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham Festival squad with victory in the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Naas.

Bought for £110,000 after winning in the point-to-point sphere last year, the six-year-old opened his account under rules in a Down Royal bumper in November and came good over hurdles at the second attempt in a four-runner race at Navan last month.

stepping up to Grade Three level under Sam Ewing, he looked to be travelling marginally better than the challenging Joystick when the latter made a mistake at the final flight.

Jacob’s Ladder (5-1) asserted thereafter and had three and a quarter lengths in hand at the line.

Paddy Power cut the winner’s odds for the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham to 20-1 from 33-1, while he is 16-1 from 25-1 with Coral for the Albert Bartlett.

Elliott’s representative, Lisa O’Neill, said: “He’s done it quite nicely in the end. Sam thought he was struggling with a circuit to go but in fairness to him he showed a lot of guts.

“Sam held on to him for as long as he could up the home straight as it’s really tough going out there. He needed a good jump at the last and he got it.

“It’s lovely for him to back up the win the last day and hopefully he can go on and build on it.

“He’s a nice, big horse and he’ll be a chaser for the future.”