Salsaretta (9/1) emphatic winner on chasing debut

Salsaretta, twice a winner over hurdles and rated 135, made an excellent start to her chasing career with an eight lengths victory at Punchestown on Tuesday. The ex-French trained mare produced a decent round of jumping before hitting the front at the second last. She powered away thereafter and wasn't hard pressed to beat the 140 rated hurdler Galvin. Owner Rich Ricci spoken favourably about the daughter of Kingsalsa in his interview in One Jump Ahead and she looks set for a productive campaign over fences this season. Willie Mullins' charge has the option of reverting back to mares' novice chases or continue to run against geldings. 

The most interesting race on Sedgefield's card on the same day was the two miles one novices' hurdle which was won by Induno. Trained by David Pipe, the Flemensfirth gelding had won a bumper at Ffos Las in October on his reappearance and made a winning start to his hurdling career here. His jumping improved as the race progressed and, while the tight track didn't appear to play to his strengths, he rallied well after the last to win going away by two and a half lengths from the 78 rated Flat racer Stonific with the pair pulling nearly forty lengths clear of the third. The Pond House team have some promising youngsters and this five year old is one of them. He is a nice type and will be even better over two and a half miles plus. He is the sort of horse which will win two or three novice hurdles this term and end the season with a mark in the high 130s or low 140s and be aimed at something like the valuable handicap hurdle at Haydock over three miles next November.