My Drogo shows class is permanent at Haydock

Class came to the fore in the Walrus Open Hunters’ Chase at Haydock with My Drogo gamely gaining a success.

Formerly a classy performer with Dan Skelton, he was a Grade One-winning novice hurdler in his younger days.

Sadly, he lost his way after a bad injury picked up as a novice chaser, but now with Edward Walker and his wife Polly Gundry, he was given a confidence booster in a couple of point-to-points, winning one, and potentially bigger targets await after he saw off Gracchus De Balme by two lengths as the 11-4 joint-favourite.

“It was a question of if he stayed really, but in the end that was all he did do,” said Walker.

“I didn’t think we’d win three out, but he stayed best of the lot. Will (Biddick) said he was a bit quieter than when he won his point and I was worried if being back on a real racecourse might affect him, but the class is there.

“I’ll have to talk to Mr (Richard) Kelvin-Hughes (owner) about whether we go to Aintree or Cheltenham. We were thinking Cheltenham, but three-two up the hill there is different to two-six here. We’ll have a chat.”

Gibbs Island remained unbeaten over obstacles with a stylish display in the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.

A useful performer on the Flat for Andy Oliver in Ireland, he was transferred to Tom Lacey and won on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield.

This represented a completely different test against some useful opponents but the 4-1 chance looked in a different class, cruising up alongside at the second-last before going away to beat Give It To Me Oj by six lengths under Stan Sheppard.

“We were quietly confident, but I don’t like to be over confident because the industry is full of disappointments on the whole! said Lacey.

“His work had improved and we thought he deserved to line up and see where we were.

“He looks a very nice prospect, but we’ll just catch our breath now. He does have a Festival entry (in the Triumph), but we won’t go making any silly decisions just yet.

“He’s only four with his whole life in front of him so we’ll take our time. He looks a better jumper than he was a Flat horse already. He’s done it really well against a couple of good yardsticks.”

One Big Bang (11-2) clearly likes it at Haydock and could now be heading for Cheltenham following his clear-cut success in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

He was introduced into the betting for the final of the same race at 20-1 by Paddy Power after beating Doddiethegreat by two and a quarter lengths.

James Owen’s seven-year-old had finished second over course and distance behind Charles Byrnes’ Shoot First on Betfair Chase day.

The winner is owned by the Big Bang Racing syndicate and their manager Oliver Wright said of the Jamie Brace-ridden winner: “We’ll definitely have to think of Cheltenham now, but there is a race at Uttoxeter for him the day after.

“He obviously likes it here but he didn’t run well at Ffos Las last time, which probably came too soon after his run at Cheltenham.

“He’s only seven and will be a better chaser next year.”

Nick Alexander’s Dubai Days (16-1) may have been the oldest horse in the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase but that did not stop him winning.

Second in the final of the series last year, he will be back again next month in an attempt to go one better.

Winning rider Bruce Lynn said: “He usually takes a couple of runs to show his best so to do that first time out is good.

“He had a little niggle in the autumn so we thought we’d get him as ready as we could at home because he can be very hard on himself.”