Tag Archive for: Gary Moore

Moore still mulling Triumph challenge with Mondo Man

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Gary Moore is not ruling out a shot at the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Mondo Man, despite suffering defeat in Kempton’s Adonis Hurdle.

An expensive €520,000 recruit off the Flat having finished fifth in the French Derby and fourth at Royal Ascot behind Calandagan, the son of Mondialiste has plenty of class and showed promise when second to Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba on his jumping debut at Ascot.

He proved much too keen on that occasion and his tendency to race freely was evident again when sent off the 5-6 market leader for Kempton’s Grade Two, with the gelding unsuited by the lack of pace in the opening stages.

Mondo Man kept on for third, beaten just shy of two lengths by Ben Pauling’s Mambonumberfive, but Moore – who trains the talented youngster alongside son Josh – is keen to take the positives ahead of a possible tilt at the Cheltenham Festival’s juvenile Grade One.

He said: “Obviously, it was disappointing and without going on about it, they did go very slow. When they go 26 and 28 miles per hour, you are going to be free when you are used to going much quicker on the Flat.

“I was pleased with his jumping and he’s come out of the race fine, so I’m not ruling him out of the Triumph. I’m not going to say he will win the Triumph, but he finished close enough to the favourite on his first run.

“It was a backwards step the other day but I’m hopeful he will improve on that run and will have learned something from being held up. It’s an extra bit of experience gained and he can take a shot at the Triumph.

“He was born to be a dual-purpose horse and he will have one more run and we will then take it from there.”

Mondo Man is a best priced 33-1 for the Triumph on Friday week.

Moores eyeing Kempton stop for Mondo Man

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Gary Moore could look to Kempton next month with expensive purchase Mondo Man following his hurdling debut at Ascot.

The four-year-old was bought for €520,000 from French trainers Pia and Joakim Brandt after an impressive campaign on the Flat, where he was fifth in the French Derby and fourth in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He went on to make his first start over jumps for new handlers Gary and Josh Moore in the BetMGM Juvenile Hurdle in Berkshire on Saturday, finishing three and a half lengths behind Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba, who is the red-hot 6-4 favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Moore took plenty of positives from his maiden run over hurdles and believes Mondo Man will improve further as he gains more experience, starting with the Grade Two Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park on February 22.

Kempton Park – Saturday 13th January
Trainer Gary Moore has high hopes for Mondo Man (John Walton/PA).

He said: “He’s done well. He’s come out of the race really good – very pleased and obviously we are still learning about him, having not had him that long.

“He was pleasing enough, obviously we were getting 10lb from the other horse. We learnt quite a lot on Saturday and we are trying to improve things on what he did on Saturday. He will probably run in the Adonis.”

The long-term target remains the Triumph before a return to the Flat in what could be a busy, yet rewarding campaign for the son of Mondialiste.

“That will be the plan (the Triumph Hurdle). He was bought for that race and also to go back on the Flat,” Moore added.

“He’s not your typical jumper to look at, although he jumped very well, I thought. He’s not your typical jumping type. He’s more of a Flat-racing type and that’s what he’s been bought for, to do the two things.”

Another jumps star in the Moore ranks is Salver, who bounced back from a heavy fall when staying on in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day to finish half a length behind Nemean Lion at Windsor on Friday.

Salver in action at Chepstow
Salver will make his next start at Fontwell on February 23 (David Davies/PA)

Moore was delighted with the five-year-old’s quick recovery and after a short break, Salver looks set to tackle the Grade Two Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on February 23.

“He’s fine, he’s done well. He’s come out of the race pretty good,” Moore said of the son of Motivator.

“It’s hard for a horse to come back in such a short space of time after a heavy fall like that. I was very pleased.

“He would have liked softer ground there, the ground there was neither one thing or the other, they were giving it as soft but it rode probably dead and heavy in places. It was horrible.

“I probably won’t run him now until the National Spirit (Hurdle). The target now will be the National Spirit.

“I don’t want to go to Cheltenham with him, if I can help it. There’s no suitable race there for him – if he runs in a handicap, he’ll have a lot of weight.

“It’s a tough year for him, he had a hard enough race the other day, so I need to give him a bit of time because I do believe he is a horse for the future.”

Too Soon shines for Moore team in Epsom strike

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Gary and Josh Moore could have unearthed a real star at Epsom after Too Soon shed his maiden status in the Betfred Derby ‘Wild Card’ EBF Conditions Stakes.

The only one of the five-strong field not to have won a race heading into this competitive conditions event, the son of Too Darn Hot relished both the testing conditions and move up to an extended mile to down Ralph Beckett’s well regarded 11-10 favourite Anniversary.

Gary Moore admitted it was a gamble running the 11-2 shot in this race when still a maiden, but was confident he could produce the type of display he unleashed on the Surrey Downs in the hands of Rhys Clutterbuck.

Moore said: “I’m very pleased with him and he did very well. It was a race I thought he should run in, but at the same time it might be stupid going into it as a maiden.

“He handled Goodwood pretty well on debut and he ran well at Ascot when I didn’t think he was at his best. He proved he handled the undulations at Goodwood and he doesn’t mind soft ground so I thought it was a chance worth taking.”

He went on: “He comes from the same family as Walk In The Park and stayed well, so I’m very pleased with him, especially for the owner.”

Too Soon now has a guaranteed ticket to next year’s Betfred Derby, but whether he has the chance to enhance his reputation this term, or is put away for the winter while connections dream, is still to be decided.

Moore added: “I will see how he is and speak to the owners. Josh and Jamie will sort it out whether he goes again or not. I wouldn’t mind him having one more run, but at the same time I wouldn’t mind him finishing for the year as well.

“He’s going to be hard to place handicap wise now, so we might just have to see how good he is. Obviously he likes a bit of give in the ground and that might be important to him.

“He’s had three runs now, so I wouldn’t care if he had the rest of the season off to allow him to grow a bit – he could do with growing a bit.”

It proved a fine afternoon for the Moore family at Epsom with their 11-4 favourite Miller Spirit also romping to victory in Betfred Apprentices’ Derby Handicap under Alec Voikhansky.

Novus digs deep for Goodwood Listed glory

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Novus returned to winning ways with a gutsy display in the the Foundation Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday.

Gary and Josh Moore’s filly outbattled George Boughey’s 2-1 favourite Botanical to register a short-head verdict in the Listed feature on the card, the four-year-old’s first victory of the 2024 campaign.

Ridden by Rhys Clutterbuck, the 11-2 chance relished the soft underfoot conditions on the Sussex Downs as she overcame a slow start to show all her battling qualities, and could now head to Newmarket to defend the Pride Stakes title she won in 2023.

Novus, returned to winning ways at Goodwood
Novus, returned to winning ways at Goodwood (Bradley Collyer/PA)

“She’s a very good filly, a tough filly, and she got her ground today,” said Gary Moore.

“It’s maybe not quite as soft as everyone is making out, but she was still able to win after giving them a few lengths head start.

“She probably hasn’t had the ground she really wants this season and I’ve probably overfaced her a few times as well. But she is very, very good.

“She will either go to France or go to the Group Three she won last year at Newmarket, wherever the ground is in her favour. Newmarket would be her next race as far as I’m concerned.”

There was a historic moment for owners Wathnan Racing as Hamad Al Jehani and Faleh Bughenaim registered their first UK victory in unison with Solar Aclaim in the six-furlong Heineken Handicap.

Al Jehani and Bughenaim have joined forces to provide Wathnan with a Derby winner in their native Qatar, but Solar Aclaim was a first British winner as a team.

“It was a tremendous result for us this afternoon and Solar Aclaim becomes the first Qatar-trained and Qatar-ridden thoroughbred winner in the UK,” said Wathnan’s Richard Brown.

“Our sport has been going a very long time and firsts are hard to come by, but that is a momentous moment during Hamad’s first year training and he has done an incredible job. It is a huge moment for Wathnan and all credit goes to Hamad and Faleh.”

The 16-1 outsider also gave Bughenaim his first winner from just a handful of rides since joining Al Jehani at his satellite base in Newmarket.

Brown continued: “Faleh has been champion jockey in Qatar and rode the Qatar Derby winner for Wathnan, Jeff Koons formally trained by John Gosden and now trained by Hamad. He’s been over here riding out and is a real talent and I thought he gave Solar Aclaim a fantastic ride.”

Josh Moore joining father Gary on training licence

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Josh Moore is the newest name to the training ranks as he joins his father Gary on the licence.

Moore has played a key role in the Lower Beeding operation since retiring from race-riding following serious injury, but will now officially become one half of the father and son training combination, with Platinum Prince scheduled to be the duo’s first runner at Lingfield on Thursday.

Moore senior also suggested further changes to the arrangements at the family’s Cisswood Racing Stables could be on the cards, with the 67-year-old admitting there will come a time when he hands control to both Josh and his brother Jamie, who hung up his own riding boots in February.

“Josh is joining me on the licence, but hardly anything will change at home,” he explained.

“It had to be done because Josh would have had to go and resit his modules again (if he didn’t).

“It will nice be for him to be on the licence and it won’t be long until another one comes on and one comes off. That’s what will happen and I hope so, but there’s a lot to put into place first.”

He continued: “I couldn’t have carried on without them (Josh and Jamie) and the rest of the team. It’s not all about me, it’s about everyone else as well.”

Quinn ready to resume in time for Nassalam National bid

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Caoilin Quinn can begin to dream of Randox Grand National glory aboard Nassalam after being given the all-clear to return to race riding following injury.

The 22-year-old has been somewhat the man for marathon events this season and as well as being aboard Gary Moore’s mud-loving stayer when romping to victory in the Welsh Grand National in December, he has also won the Surrey National for his boss aboard Movethechains and the Sussex National with David Bridgwater’s Dom Of Mary since the turn of the year.

However, Quinn has been out of action since the end of February after breaking his collarbone at Plumpton, sitting on the sidelines throughout the Cheltenham Festival where his star mount, Nassalam, was pulled up in his Aintree prep in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Now the young jockey is set to step off the treatment table and into the pressure cooker of Aintree on Grand National day as he receives the leg-up on not only Nassalam, but also aboard John and Yvonne Stone’s Botox Has in the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle on the same card.

“It’s a big weekend and I have two very good rides on Saturday, I’m looking forward to it now,” said Quinn.

“Obviously I’ve been injured for the last few weeks, but I’ve just been to see the specialist and I have been given the all-clear to start riding from Thursday onwards. So hopefully I will be riding Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

“Looking at the weather forecast, it’s looking like it could be in our favour – if it’s right anyway. They are due a lot of rain over the next couple of days and that is only going to help Botox and definitely Nassalam. It will certainly increase their chances if it keeps raining.

Caoilin Quinn with the Welsh Grand National trophy
Caoilin Quinn with the Welsh Grand National trophy (David Davies/PA)

“The two of them have been really important to me so far in my career, they have given me big Saturday winners and have got me into the good races and I’m delighted to be associated with them.

“I can’t thank John and Yvonne Stone enough, they have stuck by me and kept me on their good horses and I have to especially thank my boss (Moore) for having the faith in me in the first place and giving me the opportunities. Hopefully I can keep repaying them in some big races.”

Nassalam heads to Merseyside as the highest-rated British contender in the National and is set to carry 11st 7lb as he bids to join the likes of Corbiere, Bindaree and Silver Birch in supplementing Welsh National glory with success at Aintree.

As short as 14-1 with William Hill, the seven-year-old has already had a taste of the famous course when fourth in the Grand Sefton in November and his big-race pilot feels that experience will serve him well come 4pm on Saturday.

Nassalam thrives in testing conditions
Nassalam thrives in testing conditions (David Davies/PA)

Quinn continued: “The way the season has panned out, it was probably a good thing he ran in the Grand Sefton.

“He has got that experience over the fences now and he seemed to take to them that day. He jumped very well late on and finished very well over a much shorter trip than it’s going to be on Saturday.

“I’m delighted going into it and it takes a bit of weight off your shoulders, knowing he took to them the last day and he’s been round there before.

“It’s a completely different scenario on Saturday, but hopefully everything goes to plan for us. If it all works out it will be great.”

Moore hoping for rain boost ahead of Nassalam run

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Gary Moore would like to see the rain keep falling ahead of Nassalam’s tilt at the Randox Grand National.

The seven-year-old relished the testing ground at Chepstow when romping to an impressive 34-length success in the Welsh Grand National and his handler is keen to see similar conditions ahead of his attempt to add the Aintree version to his CV.

Raised a whopping 16lb for his marathon success over the Christmas period, Nassalam is the highest-rated British contender in the Grand National line-up and his Lower Beeding-based handler elected to send him to the Cheltenham Festival to warm up for National duty in the Gold Cup.

He was one of the first beaten in the blue riband and was pulled up before four out, but Moore reports him to have come out of the race in A1 condition and all roads will now lead to Merseyside for the world’s most famous steeplechase.

“He didn’t do an awful lot in the Gold Cup and he’s absolutely fine,” said Moore.

“All being well, the National is still the plan and hopefully it keeps raining as I need all the help I can get. We know rain is very important to him.”

Although Nassalam disappointed in the Cotswolds, there were plenty of positives to take from Salver’s fine run in the Triumph Hurdle when third behind taking winner Majborough.

Unbeaten heading into the event, he was the first British-trained juvenile home and is now enjoying a well-earned summer break before another season over hurdles beckons in the autumn.

“He came out of Cheltenham well and he’s waiting to go out in the field when the grass gets growing and it warms up a little bit,” said Moore.

Salver has excelled over hurdles this term
Salver has excelled over hurdles this term (David Davies/PA)

“He killed his handicap mark but he was the best of the English in the Triumph, it was a great run.

“He’s finished and you won’t see him until the ground comes soft again, which will hopefully be around October time.

“He will stick to hurdles as he’s too young to go chasing. It’s a tough year that four-year-old year.”

Salver looking to serve it up to Triumph rivals

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Salver will bid to provide Gary Moore with JCB Triumph Hurdle redemption when he takes his chance in Friday’s Cheltenham Festival opener.

Four years ago the trainer saw Goshen unseat his recently-retired son Jamie with the race at his mercy following a freak incident after the last and he now looks to the unbeaten Salver to triumph under Gavin Sheehan.

Despite claiming Grade Two honours at Chepstow over the Christmas period, the Lower Beeding handler feels this will be the acid test of his ability as he meets high-class operators from across the Irish Sea.

“Any significant rain would give him an advantage. This race owes me one,” said Moore.

“He deserves his spot in this line-up and a lot of people would have run him in the Fred Winter because he’s only rated 128, but it was always going to be the Triumph.

“He’s only ever shown his class on a racecourse, he’s never shown anything at home really. His last piece of work was a good piece of work that I was happy with, but to be quite honest, I think he has won four weakish races.

Salver with connections after winning the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock
Salver with connections after winning the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock (Ashley Iveson/PA)

“There are a few bits of form that show him to be quite useful but he hasn’t met a superstar yet, so he has to go out there and prove himself, this will be his test.

“Niall (Houlihan) will ride the other horse and poor Caoilin (Quinn) is sidelined, so Gavin rides.”

Willie Mullins has won three of the last four renewals and is blessed with a plethora of chances, saddling seven of the 13 heading to post and dominating the top of the betting lists.

Kenny Alexander’s Kargese is one of the Closutton battalion and the likeable filly will attempt to go one better than the owner’s Gala Marceau did 12 months ago in the race – having followed in that stablemate’s footsteps by claiming the Spring Juvenile at Leopardstown en route to the Cotswolds.

Kargese winning the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown
Kargese winning the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown (Damien Eagers/PA)

She got the better of fellow Mullins runners Storm Heart (second) and Majborough (third) on that occasion and her pilot Danny Mullins feels they are a closely matched bunch.

“The first four home were from Willie’s (at the Dublin Racing Festival) and any one of the four could pop up and win in Cheltenham,” said Danny Mullins.

“Storm Heart was close to me, Majborough back in third ran a bit keen on the day. You can make solid cases for them all finding the necessary improvement to be good enough to win a Triumph.

“It’s probably the one division where the horses are still developing, so what you’re seeing pre-Christmas versus what you see come March in Cheltenham can be two different things.”

Majborough is a nice prospect for the future
Majborough is a nice prospect for the future (PA)

Those sentiments have been echoed by the master of Closutton himself in the build up to the Cheltenham action, but there is a clear apple of his eye amongst his collective, with the imposing Majborough courting plenty of favour from his record-setting handler.

“Majborough ran a cracker (at Leopardstown). Every time I see him I think Gold Cup, not Triumph Hurdle, he’s just a magnificent beast,” said Willie Mullins.

“I was surprised when he arrived from France to see what an individual he was. He’s not a typical juvenile hurdler, you’re looking at him and thinking three years down the road.

“Maybe he could be like Douvan and just fully develop as a four and five-year-old. I’ve got some nice juveniles, but he’d be in the top couple of picks.”

The Festival’s leading trainer is also represented by impressive Limerick winner Bunting, who was a place further back in fourth at the Dublin Racing Festival, while Ethical Diamond (sixth) and Highwind (eighth) were others taking part in the Irish capital with outside claims for Mullins.

The Closutton septet is rounded off by the intriguing Salvator Mundi, who was less than two lengths behind long-time race favourite Sir Gino when they met in France and he could prove an exciting ride for Brian Hayes, making his stable debut in Grade One company – ironically for the sidelined Sir Gino’s owners Joe and Marie Donnelly.

Joseph O’Brien’s Nurburgring has solid form from the early part of the season and has been kept fresh for this event, with Fairyhouse scorer Fratas completing the Irish contingent representing Michael Mulvany.

Warren Greatrex will saddle Mighty Bandit – his expensive recruit from the Caldwell dispersal – who handed Tuesday’s Boodles winner Lark In The Morning a near 10-length beating in November, while Dominic Ffrench Davis takes a shot at this valuable prize with Newbury winner Ithaca’s Arrow.

Weather remains key to Moore’s plans for Salver

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The weather appears set to dictate if Salver will be handed a shot at the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

A comfortable winner of his first two starts over obstacles, he romped to a 21-length success in Chepstow’s Grade Two Finale Juvenile Hurdle over the Christmas period to announce himself as one of the UK’s best juvenile operators.

He enhanced his unbeaten record over timber at Haydock when claiming the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle in easy fashion and is as short as 10-1 for Grade One glory at Prestbury Park, with only heavy favourite Sir Gino and a handful of Willie Mullins-based contenders ahead of him in the betting with most bookmakers.

However, having shown a real liking for testing conditions, Moore has always suggested his Festival participation will hinge on a wet forecast during the second week of March.

“He’s fine after Saturday and if this weather keeps up he’ll be going to Cheltenham, but if it doesn’t I don’t know what I will do,” said Moore.

Other options for Salver include holding fire in hope of a wet few days in Merseyside during Grand National week or a trip to France for one of their big end-of-season juvenile events.

But being seen as a horse for the future, Moore would have no qualms if his charge did not run again this season.

He continued: “There’s the possibility he could go to France but that is very unlikely though.

“He’s still a big, weak, immature horse and I’m not sure he is ready for France yet. We could always look at Liverpool as well but that would depend on ground and be weather permitting.

“If he doesn’t run again this year, he’s done more than his fair share and it wouldn’t matter.”

Peking Opera’s Triumph hopes rest on Kempton performance

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Gary Moore is looking to Peking Opera to continue his stable’s fine form with the one-time Irish Derby fourth seeking to book his ticket to the Triumph Hurdle in Kempton’s Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

Moore, whose son Jamie recently announced his retirement from the saddle, enjoyed a big-race double at Haydock last weekend as Salver confirmed himself as one of the UK’s leading juveniles and Botox Has claimed Grade Two success in the Rendlesham.

Lower Beeding-based Moore is now on the hunt for further graded honours with his former Ballydoyle inmate, who made the perfect start over hurdles at Sandown earlier this month.

He showed there he had plenty of speed to go with his staying power and he has forced a change of thinking from his trainer, with Moore conceding he never had a trip to Kempton in mind for the hot juvenile prospect.

“Going into Sandown, on his Flat form, I thought he would want a stiff two miles,” explained Moore.

“The last place I thought I would run him was Kempton, even though the Adonis was probably the obvious race anyway. But I thought he would want a stiff two rather than an easy two and as it worked out, I thought he travelled well (at Sandown) and if they had gone a better gallop it would have helped him more.

“Hopefully the track will suit him and hopefully he will show enough to be a Triumph Hurdle horse – he will need to because it’s quite a good race.”

Peking Opera jumps a hurdle on his way to victory at Sandown
Peking Opera jumps a hurdle on his way to victory at Sandown (John Walton/PA)

Moore’s success with Salver this season has seen him clipped into as short as 10-1 for the Triumph Hurdle next month, while it is Peking Opera’s exploits on the Flat combined with his Sandown hurdles debut that are driving his odds, ranging from 16s to 33-1.

Those prices could plummet with a bold showing from the son of Galileo on Saturday, but Moore says he has collected few clues on the gallops as to who may be better, with both kept separate in their work at home.

“I’ve never galloped them together,” continued Moore.

“One is an out-and-out stayer and the other should be as well, but on his pedigree and what he’s done (on the Flat), he (Peking Opera) should have a bit more class.”

Le Patron won the Henry VIII Novices' Chase in December
Le Patron won the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in December (John Walton/PA)

Moore could also be represented on the card by Grade One scorer Le Patron, who could attempt to get back on track in the Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase after seeing his jumping fall apart in the Scilly Isles last time.

The six-year-old finished a long way adrift of Nickle Back on that occasion, with Moore having plenty of respect for that rival who is also entered at the weekend.

“My biggest concern in that race is Nickle Back and I don’t know if he will run or not, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to take him on to be honest,” added Moore.

Botox Has is Rendlesham hero, but no plans for Stayers’ tilt

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Botox Has appears unlikely to throw his hat into the Stayers’ Hurdle ring despite registering a wide-margin victory in the Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock.

The eight-year-old has been a fine servant to his connections, with two wins at Cheltenham, a National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and a Grade Three handicap win at Haydock last season featuring on his CV.

Gary Moore’s charge kicked off the current campaign with success in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby and has since finished sixth in both the Long Walk at Ascot and the Cleeve at Cheltenham.

Returning to a track and conditions he clearly handles well, Botox Has was set off at 5-2 to complete a big-race double for his trainer and jockey Caoilin Quinn following Salver’s comfortable triumph in the preceding Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.

And after sitting in the slipstream of 6-4 favourite Butch for much of the extended three-mile journey, the eight-year-old took over in the home straight and pulled nine lengths clear on the run-in.

Betfair trimmed Botox Has’ Stayers’ Hurdle odds to 20-1 from 66-1, but Moore’s son and assistant Josh expects him sidestep the Cheltenham Festival in favour of other options.

He said: “He’s won very well and I think he likes a flat track. For all he’s won at Cheltenham and Fontwell in the past, I think a flat track sees the best of him, like at Wetherby and here at Haydock in a handicap hurdle last year.

“I think we’ll probably bypass Cheltenham. He is in the Stayers’, but I don’t think he’ll go there. We might consider the Grade One at Aintree and we may also consider going to France in the spring for the French Champion Hurdle, and there are other races for him there as well.

“We’ll probably save him for Aintree first as I think the track there will suit him and we’ll hope for a soft ground Aintree.”

Jockey Caoilin Quinn
Jockey Caoilin Quinn (David Davies/PA)

Moore was keen to praise the winning rider, whose opportunities looks sure to increase after Josh’s brother Jamie joined him in retirement earlier this week.

He added: “Caoilin is riding very well and he’s actually closing in a bit on the conditional title leader (Patrick Wadge), so hopefully he’ll have a good go at that.”

Salver shines in Victor Ludorum victory

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Salver took another step towards a potential outing at next month’s Cheltenham Festival after maintaining his unbeaten Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock.

Gary Moore’s youngster had impressed in winning each of his first three starts to date, never more so than when beating his rivals by upwards of 21 lengths in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow over the Christmas period.

The son of Motivator was bidding to make it four from four over obstacles on Merseyside – and while he made a couple of small jumping errors in the extremely testing conditions, the 2-5 favourite was ultimately not hard pressed to score by three and a half lengths in the hands of Caoilin Quinn.

Josh Moore, assistant to his father, said: “He’s done it nicely and it’s sort of a case of he’s done what he had to do.

“I think he can be better than he was today as he was quite wound up beforehand, which he isn’t usually.

“It’s proper heavy ground out there and they’ll either go on it or they won’t. As we saw at Chepstow, he goes on it, but Haydock heavy is completely different to anywhere else.”

Paddy Power trimmed Salver’s odds for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham to 10-1 from 14-1, while he is 8-1 from 12-1 with the same firm for the Boodles.

However, Moore junior revealed his Festival participation will be ground dependent.

“I think he will only be going there if it is soft or worse than soft. You’d definitely want to be seeing soft in the going description anyway,” he added.

“If it’s a good ground Triumph I can’t see him running there. It’s quite a big occasion for a young horse, there’s Aintree afterwards and you’ve got the option of France as well.

“There’s lots of options and we wouldn’t be in a rush to make any decisions. He’s a nice horse.”

Moore senior was at Ascot, where he said: “He’s won again and I’m very pleased with him.

“He got very stressed before the race which is a concern so we will have to see what he’s like when he gets back and what he’s like in the next few weeks before we decide if we go anywhere.

“If the conditions came right he would be a Triumph horse, but they would have to be right. I’m not bothered at all if I have to put him away, he’s a very big horse and he’s only going to improve. He’s a chaser in the making.”

Peking Opera performance delights Gary Moore

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Former Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera made a successful start to his jumping career with a solid win at Sandown.

The son of Galileo was bought for 100,000 guineas after also scoring in Listed company for Aidan O’Brien and was sent off the 13-8 joint-favourite for the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle.

Niall Houlihan had his mount tucked in behind front-runner Glengolly for much of the way and his jumping was smooth.

Peking Opera was almost forced to push on when a big gap opened up on the inside entering the home straight and quickly took control of proceedings.

Fellow market leader The Good Doctor threw down a challenge between the final two flights but was giving his rival 22lb in weight and was readily seen off on the run-in, going down by a length and three-quarters.

Winning trainer Gary Moore told Racing TV: “I expected him to run very, very well, but I’ve had two good horses beaten in this race over the last two years, so that did worry me.

“He’s a very lazy work horse at home and I couldn’t believe he was a different horse on the track. You could work him with a donkey at home and he’d just work with it.

“He’s always loved his jumping though, the more we’ve schooled him, the better he’s enjoyed it, so I think it’s turned him round.

“Niall was told not to hit the front until the last and he had to hit the front early, so it’s a good result.

“I brought him to a stiff track because I thought that would suit him on his Flat form, but I’m just going to change things now and I think he’s got the pace to go for the Adonis (Kempton, February 24).”

The JCB Triumph Hurdle would then be the ultimate target, but Peking Opera was pushed out to 33-1 from 20-1 by Betfair for Cheltenham Festival glory.

Moore eyeing Fontwell for Peking Opera debut

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It could be a big weekend for Gary Moore’s juveniles as Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera is pencilled in to begin life over obstacles at Fontwell on Sunday.

The son of Galileo was a Listed winner for Aidan O’Brien on the Flat before going on to finish just over nine lengths adrift of Auguste Rodin at the Curragh in the summer.

He also saw Group One action in the Grand Prix de Paris before finishing his spell at Ballydoyle with a third behind Vauban in the Ballyroan Stakes.

The four-year-old is now set to try his hand at a new discipline and, having been picked up for 100,000 guineas at the sales, has joined Gary Moore to run in Steve Packham’s colours, made famous by Goshen.

He can be backed at a best price of 20-1 for the Triumph Hurdle, but before thoughts of the Cheltenham Festival enter the picture, he will have to pass his first assignment, having been handed an entry for the Join The Vickers.Bet Free Bet Club Novices’ Hurdle.

“If everything is all right, we might run on Sunday at Fontwell,” said Moore.

“We’re running tight on time and I need to get a run into him.”

Salver in winning action at Chepstow
Salver in winning action at Chepstow (David Davies/PA)

Although Peking Opera has yet to jump a hurdle in public, stablemate Salver has already put down a marker when romping to a wide-margin victory in Chepstow’s Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas.

A best price of 14-1 for the Triumph, he is unbeaten in three over obstacles and holds an entry for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday although ground conditions at Prestbury Park are set to determine his participation.

“The horse is very well and he has an entry just in case the ground came up soft,” said Moore.

“He’s probably not going to get his ground and if it did come up soft, he would go there, but if it isn’t then he won’t go.

“It’s a stiff two-mile-one and I thought I would just make the entry, but he would be 50-50 – it would have to be good to soft or softer at least. I wouldn’t even want too much good in it, I want it proper soft ground.

“I’m very mindful of the fact he has improved with every time he has run and it will also depend on how he works in the morning more than anything.”

Reigning champ Editeur Du Gite ready to face Jonbon

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Jonbon is the headline act among six entries for the rearranged Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham – but Gary Moore is hoping history will repeat itself for defending champion Editeur Du Gite.

Nicky Henderson’s Tingle Creek hero began his campaign with victory in the Shloer Chase at Prestbury Park in November and was fully on course for a clash with old adversary El Fabiolo at the race’s traditional home of Ascot last Saturday.

With that card falling victim to the weather, the Seven Barrows handler was eager for the race to be swiftly rearranged to the Cheltenham Festival Trials Day, as it was when Editeur Du Gite downed Edwardstone and Energumene in a thrilling contest 12 months ago.

Jonbon is unbeaten in two starts this term
Jonbon is unbeaten in two starts this term (John Walton/PA)

There is set to be no Irish representation this time around, with as expected El Fabiolo keeping his powder dry in favour of the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown a week later.

But Jonbon will head to the Cotswolds, with Moore also keen to add Editeur Du Gite’s name to the mix on the back of his second Desert Orchid Chase victory over the Christmas period.

“It would be nice wouldn’t it, if lightning could strike twice,” said Moore.

“He seems in good order and the horse is very well – he’s entitled to take his chance.

“We’re under no illusions we will beat Jonbon, but I just hope he runs a big race – I’m sure he will.”

Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra got the better of Elixir De Nutz in the battle for second when three lengths adrift of Editeur Du Gite at Kempton last month and both are set to reoppose in the Grade One contest.

Despite struggling to make an impression so far this term, Venetia Williams’ Funambule Sivola finished second in the Champion Chase behind Energumene in 2022 and represents a team in good order.

Richard Hobson’s December Gold Cup hero Fugitif completes the entries but is also engaged in the £100,000 Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase on the card.