Thunder impresses on chase debut

Wetherby staged the first day of their Charlie Hall fixture on Friday with the ground reportedly just on the soft side of good. The headline act was Grade 1 winning novice hurdler Gelino Bello who was making his fencing bow in the staying novice chase. Market rival and Chepstow winner Press Your Luck whipped around at the start and unshipped Tom Cannon leaving Paul Nicholls to make the running. Despite a slight tendency on occasions to jump to his right, the six year old produced a clean round of fencing but was forced to dig deep on the run-in to see of the challenge of sole opponent Loughderg Rocco who was rated nearly two stones lower over timber. While his victory didn't leave one dashing to back him for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March, he will doubtless improve signficantly for the outing and will be a different proposition later in the campaign. Remember how much the stable's dual Grade 2 winning novice chaser Threeunderthrufive improved from his chasing bow last season.

Olly Murphy was responsible for an across the card double with Thunder Rock producing a smart performance to win the two miles novices' handicap chase at Uttoxeter. A four times winner over hurdles and rated 135, he was momentarily tapped for speed down the backstraight but made good headway once in the homestraight. Adrian Heskin's mount was short of room approaching the second last but once seeing daylight the Shirocco gelding quickened up and won going away by four and a half lengths. Bought for £42,000 having finished runner-up in his only point-to-point, he will be even more effective over two and a half miles. 

It was another productive day for followers of One Jump Ahead with Gelino Bello (1/4), Parisencore (6/4), Thunder Rock (9/2) and Ukantango (6/5). I am working at Wetherby on Saturday and very much looking forward to the Charlie Hall Chase with Grade 1 winning novice chasers Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame clashing for a fourth time during their careers - the former is currently 2-1 in front and bids to become the first Scottish trained winner of Wetherby's showpiece event since High Edge Grey scored in 1988 for Ken Oliver.