IT was wonderful to welcome racing back to Cheltenham on Friday where the going was predominantly good and the track – often parched so early in the season - in excellent condition.

The quality of racing was very good, with strong field sizes boosted by a 20-strong raiding party from across the Irish Sea.

Gavin Cromwell is strongly represented over the weekend and enjoyed a quickfire double with well-backed pair My Mate Mozzie (4/7 favourite) and Encanto Bruno (11/4 favourite) looking high-class prospects in their respective divisions, the former making up for an expensive failure on chase debut with a facile success in the squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase, and the latter making it two from three over hurdles on debut for Cromwell in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle.

Both were ridden in extremely confident style by Keith Donoghue, who has developed into a top-class rider in recent times. My Mate Mozzie, who can finish weakly despite being a notably strong traveller, was ridden cold by Donoghue, as Jetronic made the running, and eased ahead only after the last to win on the bridle.

This was impressive, but he was getting 8lb from third-placed Al Zaraqaan, and it would be dangerous to get too carried away for all we know the winner is a very talented performer.

He wouldn’t want winter ground, and Cromwell is inclined to give him a break now before bringing him back for a spring campaign.

Winning debut

Encanto Bruno was an impressive bumper winner here last autumn for John McConnell and made a winning debut for that yard before checking out tamely when a strong fancy at Galway. Moved to Cromwell subsequently by owner Derek Kierans, Encanto Bruno put his Galway disappointment behind him with a stylish victory over four last-time-out hurdle winners in what had looked a competitive event.

In the end, the race was dominated by Irish stables, with Encanto Bruno followed home by Mel Monroe (Gordon Elliott/Sean Bowen) and Tag Man (Henry de Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore).

Bihoue makes a breakthrough

WELL backed for his chase debut at Warwick only to fall at halfway Idalko Bihoue (Nigel/Sam Twiston-Davies) made amends in the best possible style by making all the running in the Thoroughbred Census Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, foiling a Gavin Cromwell treble with a seven-length defeat of Railway Hurricane at odds of 5/1.

The five-year-old son of Balko was highly tried after a winning hurdling debut this time last year, finishing third in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle but losing his form in the spring.

It’s to be hoped that another summer under his belt will enable him to hold his form this term, as he does look a likeable and talented recruit to the ranks of staying chasers.

With Irish stables dominating earlier on the card, it was no surprise to see Peter Fahey’s Toto Too backed into a short price for the Grade 2 SkyBet Novices’ Hurdle (Registered as the Sharp Novices’ Hurdle), but the 13/8 favourite – winner of a Navan maiden hurdle five weeks earlier – failed to justify that support as he trailed in fifth behind 9/2 winner Lookaway (Neil King/Jack Quinlan), who won by two and three-quarter lengths from Kamsinas (Fergal O’Brien/Paddy Brennan) with Idy Wood (Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan) third, a total of four and a half lengths behind the winner.

Attacked

The winner was sent straight to the front by Jack Quinlan and attacked his hurdles as he galloped his rivals - all previous winners - into submission. The runner-up was left poorly placed after his run was blocked coming down the hill, and his effort can be marked up for all he could hardly be called unlucky.

A top-class bumper performer in 2021/’22, when winning the Grade 2 at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, Lookaway took time to adjust to jumping obstacles and failed to win in three starts last term. Kept on the go in the summer, he has improved his jumping and was completing a hat-trick here after wins in minor company at Uttoxeter.

A son of Ask out of a Westerner mare, Lookaway won his only start in points for Sean Doyle before being sold to join King in December 2021. He ought to stay further but he appeared not to see out the two miles and five furlongs trip on his hurdles debut at Warwick. He certainly looks a stronger and more settled horse now and should continue to give a good account.

Finish of the day

The Close Brothers Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase provided the finish of the day, with Mole Court (Ben Pauling/Jack Andrews) leading shortly after the last and hanging on well when Midnight Our Fred (J P Flavin/Dara McGill) challenged late.

The winner’s stablemate Wick Green finished third, ahead of 2021 winner Strictlyadancer, with less than two lengths covering the first five finishers in a thrilling and emotional contest for his trainer and owner.

A conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle wouldn’t normally feature heavily in a Cheltenham review, but Our Champ (Chris/Freddie Gordon) was a most impressive winner of the opening contest, beating Swinton Hurdle hero Black Poppy by an easy seven and a half lengths.

He was showing himself a well-handicapped hurdler, this his second win in as many starts since the retirement of previous handler Paul Henderson.

The 9/2 joint-favourite is clearly thriving in his new environment and looks capable of making his mark in better company, although he is not entered in the Greatwood Hurdle here next month.

The final two and a half mile handicap hurdle saw the Adam Wedge-ridden, Martin Keighley-trained, Pinncale Peak race to a four and a quarter-length success over Angels Breath.