Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Grade 1)

GORDON Elliott and Jack Kennedy have been operating right at the top of their game throughout the season so far and that trend was evident for all to see again in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle when Caldwell Potter posted a dominant success for the red-hot duo, and - in the process - bursted a few balloons.

The market indicated that this two-mile contest would be a set-to between impressive maiden hurdle winners Daddy Long Legs (Willie Mullins and Paul Townend) and Down Memory Lane (Gordon Elliott and Derek O’Connor) but neither appeared able to cope properly with the demanding conditions and were safely held.

Caldwell Potter, who hails from the exceptional all-blacktype family of Mighty Potter, French Dynamite, Brighterdaysahead and Indiana Jones, was always handy and stepped up considerably from a maiden hurdle success at Navan earlier in the month.

For a period it looked as though Predators Gold (Willie and Patrick Mullins) would throw down a serious challenge in the straight, but a mistake at the last dented his momentum and the 6/1 winner showed no mercy in striding on to win by six and a half lengths.

Fluid plans

Elliott did not nominate any target for Caldwell Potter but instead was keen to pay tribute to the five-year-old’s phenomenal dam Matnie.

“She’s some mammy with all these horses she’s breeding - they’re all very good,” he said.

“Jack just kept it simple. He said he loved the ground, and galloped them into the ground. The horse is very, very tough. He had an easy season last year, and I’d say it stood to him. He got a bit light after a couple of bumpers, but he’s a tough horse, and I’d say you could step him up in trip in time.

“We knew he had improved from Navan. I’d say the rain coming really suited him. If I’m being honest, he’s probably not as classy as Mighty Potter but he’s very tough and is a big chaser in the making.” On Down Memory Lane, who was beaten 44 and a half lengths in third, Elliott said: “Derek felt he never walked on the ground, that he was beaten after two hurdles.

“He jumped like he was laboured, but once he’s okay he’ll be a nice horse for the spring.”

Daddy Long Legs was post race normal when checked over by the IHRB veterinary team, while Townend indicated that his mount never travelled.