Scudamore hails Thistlecrack after Cheltenham victory

Given Cheltenham’s heavy going, this win was even more impressive than previous victories in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle and Ascot’s Grade One Long Walk Hurdle in December.

Thistlecrack, trained by Colin Tizzard of Cue Card fame, cruised into the lead on the run to the final flight before striding up the final hill in tremendous fashion to win by 12 lengths that looked effortless.

Now hot favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, an elated Scudamore described the victory as “magic” and said Thistlecrack compared favourably to many of the greats that he has ridden.

“He’s laid down a pretty big marker,” added the winning rider. “That was a tremendous feeling, hopefully we can do the same in five or six weeks’ time.

“You can ride him however you want to ride him – he gives you so much confidence. He’s just fantastic.”

Tizzard said: “He was brilliant. He powered up that hill against really top-class opposition. It’s a World Hurdle qualifier and he’s won it without coming off the bridle.

“At home he works like that and he’s done it on the track. Nothing can stay with him any more on the gallops at home,” he added.

Meanwhile, Alan King says he was “blown away” by Smad Place’s win in the Gold Cup trial as Djakadam, ante-post favourite for the blue riband race, fell at the 10th while Sue Smith’s Wakanda could not jump out of the bottomless ground and was pulled up on the run to the final fence.

Initially unsure whether to aim his Hennessy hero at the Timico Gold Cup or the shorter Ryanair Chase, King confirmed yesterday that Smad Place will compete for jump racing’s most prestigious prize.

“I was blown away in the Hennessy and slightly blown away again today – he does that to me, I’m thrilled,” he said.

Smad Place was ridden by champion jockey-elect Richard Johnson who was deputising for King’s stable jockey Wayne Hutchinson who was injured at Doncaster on Friday.

Significantly on such a landmark day, King believes Yanworth could be exceptional after the JP McManus-owned six-year-old maintained his unbeaten record over jumps with an impressive performance in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.

The favourite made mincemeat of what looked a quality field as he swept to victory by seven lengths from Shantou Village. “I don’t know how good he is – he’s never come off the bridle in four runs this season,” said King. “I don’t think I’ve trained anything like it. I’m sure he’ll be a better horse in better ground.

“He’s frightening – but in a good way.”