AHOY SENOR sails to victory at Cheltenham on an emotional Trials Day for Lucinda Russell

The Cheltenham Gold Cup in March is next for the “fantastic” Ahoy Senor as he returned to winning ways in Saturday’s Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park.

The two-time Grade 1 winner has failed to win his first three starts this season, causing a few to dismiss his chances ahead of Cheltenham Trials Day, however, the eight-year-old silenced his critics to claim success in the feature race of the day.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup looks like the ultimate target for Lucinda Russel’s gelding, a race he is priced at 14/1 for.

“He was a freak as a novice over hurdles and he was a freak as a novice chaser,” said Russell. “He has just learned to do his job and I think with Derek, [Fox, the jockey] they have learned together, so it was great to see him back to form again.

“He is just fantastic with the horse; they both trust each other and the confidence that he has got has been fantastic.

"Coming to the second last (I thought he would win) and we kept saying that if he could do the same at The Festival where he just came around the corner and kept on galloping - that was just perfect.

“He settled better and jumped well, but I’m surprised he acted on that ground - I’m delighted, and it is nice to see our monster back.”

The Scottish-based trainer had recently lost her father, Peter Russell, who was a part-owner of Ahoy Senor, making the horse’s first success at Cheltenham a special one.

“With my dad, he was interested in him, he loved him, and he wanted him to do well.

“We had two winners at Kelso recently and Dad was a little bit frail at the time - he only went to the hospital for 24 hours, so it was brilliant for everyone to say thank you to Dad.

"It was dad who set me up in this, it was dad who has given me that desire and determination, and he would be very proud of him - I'm really going to miss not phoning him when I go home.”

Ahoy Senor’s win on Cheltenham Trials Day was one of three surprising victories in the Graded races, a string of results that began with the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, as Gary Moore’s EDITEUR DU GITE bravely held on at the finish from the fancied EDWARDSTONE to claim success at 14/1.

Despite the popularity of the runner-up and ENERGUMENE, the reigning Champion Chase victor, in the betting market, this didn’t worry Joshua Moore, assistant trainer at the yard, ahead of the race.

“He showed he was a good horse at Kempton Park and it is not surprising he has won that today, but in Edwardstone and Energumene, it didn’t look like they could get beaten,” explained the recently retired jockey.

“At the top of the hill, I thought he was going very well when you were expecting them to come at you again.”

This confidence was shared by his jockey, Niall Houlihan, who felt he had plenty under him from an early stage.

“From the back of the fourth, I thought I could win,” said the regular rider of Editeur De Gite. “He had a lovely lead and jumped brilliantly, and I thought they will come to me now, but he ran down the hill and jumped three out brilliantly – he’s a jockey’s dream.

“He got into a great rhythm and I always felt he rode better on the Old course, but he has put up two very good performances on the New course.

“I thought if he puts up a good performance he can go for the Champion Chase, where he goes next, I’m not quite sure.”

Finally, in the unique Cross Country Chase, bragging rights of the 3m6f contest stayed in Gloucestershire as BACK ON THE LASH added to his success in last season’s renewal of this race for Condicote-based trainer Martin Keighley.

Dreams of a Cheltenham Festival winner for the Grade 1-winning trainer are at the forefront of the yard’s ambitions and this progressive nine-year-old could be his best chance at this year’s event.

Keighley said: “We were so gutted to lose the first two races this season, he ran a good solid race here at the November Meeting and we’ve just kept him for this race since – he loves it here, doesn’t he!

“He just loves his jumping and he’s such a strong stayer, as he showed today. He’s tiny and you saw a couple of times today he lands quite steep as he’s so small, but he’s got loads of scope and he’s hard as nails.

“Coming into these Cross Country races just seems to have improved him, similar to Any Currency.

“It’s worked out well and we’ll keep him nice and fresh now and come back for The Festival; it will be level weights there, but he seems to be improving for every run around here, and hopefully, he can still be in the mix.”