Friday Review

Bill Joyce provided Jonjo & A.J.O'Neill with their second Graded novice hurdle victory of the season when maintaining his unbeaten record over timber in the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle at Sandown. Whilst his task was made easier with the well supported favourite Kingston Pride failing to handle the testing conditions, it was still a smart performance by the Jackdaws Castle runner. The Mahler gelding had won in good style at Carlisle last month and took this step up in class in his stride. A five lengths winner from Quebecois, time will tell whether soft ground is a necessity but he is a fine prospect both short and long-term. The runner-up looks an out and out stayer who will benefit from tackling from three miles sooner rather than later, while Kingston Pride should be given another chance to atone on a sounder surface.

Listed novice hurdle winner Handstands fell at the third last on his chasing bow at Wincanton last month but showed no ill effects with a convincing victory in the Grade 2 Esher Novices' Chase. Prominent from the outset, Ben Pauling's runner jumped accurately and looked in control soon after the Pond fence. Two bold leaps in the homestraight sealed his win before running on strongly to beat Resplendent Grey by three and a half lengths. The Getaway gelding has achieved a lot in a short space of time winning an Irish point a little over a year ago for Pat Turley.  The step up to three miles appeared to very much to his liking and it will be interesting to see if his connections consider the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day - although it is only 20 days away. Chasing debutants Saint Davy and Welcom To Cartries both ran well on their reappearances and it won't be long before they shed their maiden tags over the larger obstacles.

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White dominated proceedings at Exeter with a treble culminating in Sober Glory's success in the concluding bumper. Featured in Declan Phelan's Irish Pointers section in OJA, the four year old was bought for £110,000 in May having won his point for Cormac Doyle and is now unbeaten in two runs under Rules for his Minehead outfit. A length and three quarters winner at Chepstow in late October, he was even more emphatic in victory here. Despite showing signs of inexperience, the Mount Nelson gelding led over two furlongs out before staying on well to register a six and a half lengths win.