Haiti Couleurs Delights With Newbury Comeback Win
Haiti Couleurs delighted in the for a possible tilt at the Betfair Chase when making a winning reappearance in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Newbury.
Rebecca Curtis' Cheltenham Festival and Irish Grand National hero was sent out off at 17-2 in the hands of Sean Bowen for his return over the smaller obstacles and his endurance came forward in the closing stages, as the champion jockey outbattled his bro James Bowen aboard runner-up Bill Baxter.
Britain's shortest-priced competitor for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Haiti Couleurs holds an entry for the Coral Gold Cup back at Newbury on November 29, but Curtis is lured to divert to Haydock a week previously with her star chaser.
Curtis told Sky Sports Racing: "I'm not excessively stunned he won as I knew he was actually well and had actually improved from last year.
"I hoped he would run among those races where you end up in the first 5, however viewing him go round I understood he was going to win since of the way he was travelling and you know he stays.
"He ran hurdles off 135 in 2015 and was beaten, however he's won off 10lb greater here, so it appears like he has improved."
Haiti Couleurs made a winning return at Newbury (David Davies/PA)
One what follows, she included: "There's pros and cons to both races, our main aim was the Coral Gold Cup however it's good to firm here today on the chase track and taking a look at the forecast they are not due too much rain here next week.
"He'll enter into that off top-weight most likely and Dan's (Skelton, Protektorat and Grey Dawning) rated higher won't run.
"The Betfair Chase is actually appealing, I know it's just 2 and a half weeks away however he's the type of horse you can get away with doing that with and he will be fresh on Monday morning.
"I will talk to the owners and choose what they desire to do, but I would be siding that method now. You would hope he may be a Gold Cup horse, but I'm not going to push him down that roadway if he's not to that level.
"I love the method he has actually improved and you have actually seen how difficult he is and he stays so well. He can go a great gallop and those are all the important things you need for a Gold Cup, so we will see, it's exciting."
Haiti Couleurs may not be returning to Newbury on 'Hennessy day' but one who could is Harry Derham's Jackie Hobbs after making a winning obstacles debut in the CSP Mares' Novices' Hurdle as the 13-8 favourite.
A helpful bumper performer last term, she was handed a quote of 20-1 by Paddy Power for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, however in the immediate she might contest the Listed Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
Derham stated: "She was good and I believed it was quite a deep race. The important things I was most happy about was how well she jumped and she remains two miles well, so Paul (O'Brien) desired to make a lot of usage of her.
"He stated she had a genuine excellent blow from the back of 3 out, so you want to believe she would enhance plenty and she's a really nice mare and one to eagerly anticipate.
"Returning to Newbury is a guaranteed choice as long as she comes out of this all best and is in great kind - we would absolutely consider it.
"It would be good to end up in a race like the Jane Seymour at Sandown later on in the year, however it's excellent to get over the very first obstacle today and it will be great making plans with her from here."
Anthony Honeyball's Lord Baddesley (6-4) came home in superb isolation to win the Daily Racing Boosts At BetVictor Handicap Chase, while the concluding British Horse Society Open National Hunt Flat Race went the method of Chris Gordon's 13-8 preferred Bass Hunter.