HARRY Senior (Colin Tizzard/Robbie Power) had been denied a run in the Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick a fortnight earlier on the advice of the vet, but that setback was quickly forgotten as he swapped the possibility of victory in one Grade 2 event with a handsome win in another at an SP of 4/1.

He stuck to the inner rail on the home turn, and while it appeared that King Roland (Harry Fry/Sean Bowen) had taken a decisive lead on the run to the last, that horse was unable to sustain his initial burst.

While bagging the stands rail on the Old Course is a big advantage, that edge is absent on the New Course, and Harry Senior was able to bridge the gap as the runners climbed the hill – he ended up running out a decisive winner by a margin of two and a quarter lengths, with the penalised Protektorat (Dan/Harry Skelton) third, the same distance away.

The winner is now rated 144, and while his chances in the corresponding event at the Festival are fairly slim, he appeals as the type to keep improving as he faces more of a test, and he’s rather more appealing as an Albert Bartlett prospect.

The runner-up was described by a colleague after the race as a “slow horse with a fast attitude”, which is faint praise, but a shrewd description.

He is too keen to get on with things and rather rushed his effort when asked here, but he did stay on again, and if his trainer can get him switched off, he could yet realise his undoubted potential. I very much doubt that will be in the coming weeks, however, and perhaps chasing will be the key to him.

Quest the best

Nick Williams is one of the few trainers around who see three-year-old hurdlers as horses for the future, and his patient approach has unveiled such future starts as Reve de Sivola, so the victory of Galahad Quest under Harry Cobden, while a shock of sorts at 6/1, is a positive pointer for the youngster’s future, which lies over fences according to his trainer.

In a rather messy race, Galahad Quest avoided trouble to beat Night Edition (David Pipe/David Noonan) and Geralamo Cardano (D J Jeffreys/Kielan Woods), with hot favourite Monte Cristo disappointing.

Rest of the card

THE handicap chases on the card both went to horses who made all or most of the running on the inner rail, and that adds to the statistic that all four such races in December were won in identical style.

The biggest pointer to March from this is that the rail dolled out on Thursday March 12th, it will take a remarkable performance for any horse to come from off the pace in the Festival (Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable) Plate.

Simply The Betts got the canniest ride of the day from Gavin Sheehan, who walked the track meticulously beforehand, and he managed to get to where he wanted without having to go any faster than he wanted, and despite having close company throughout, he was really calling his own shots.

The Grade 3 handicap chase went to Cepage, who again had the right spot, but had to work harder to get there, and was harried by Lalor and Garde La Victoire throughout. The key to his success was his superb jumping, and if there has been a better display this season then I have not seen it. Sound jumping is not about standing outside the wings or giving open ditches daylight – it is about speed, and Cepage is crucially quick both in the air and away from his fences, stealing at least a length at most obstacles.

He was all out to win, but has raised just 1lb for his effort. To beat him, his rivals need to get past him, and any time he gets himself into a position to dictate terms, he will be very hard to pass, even in better company.