Finian's Oscar winner for Tizzard

Hot on the heels of Thistlecrack’s King George win, Cue Card’s Betfair Chase success and the victories of Native River in the Hennessy and Welsh National, Tizzard now appears to have a contender for top novice honours.

At a stable visit before the King George, Tizzard had said Finian’s Oscar was potentially a nice novice and he has certainly proved that, cruising to the front and surviving a slow leap at the last to win by five lengths under Tom O’Brien, who was riding just his second Grade One winner.

Tizzard said: “He’s a beautiful young horse, but we didn’t know he was going to do that.

“He’s only won a point-to-point and a novices’ hurdle at Hereford, but the way he did it at Hereford, why waste him in a little race when you can have a go at this?

“He justified it (the decision to run) and handled the ground well. He looked in control most of the way and he soon went five lengths clear.

“He stuttered into the last and I thought, ‘is he going to stop?’ but as soon as Tom got busy, he went on again. I would have been disappointed if he didn’t win at Hereford but coming here was completely different as it was a proper race back over two miles.

“He probably will run again and then go for one of the races at Cheltenham. He could go any trip, I think the easiest option is to go two and a half, but he’s got the speed for two and he stays.”

The final of the 32Red Veterans’ Handicap Chase series boasted a healthy first prize of £61,900 and it went to the joint-oldest horse in the race, 13-year-old Pete The Feat. Charlie Longsdon’s popular chaser normally front-runs, but he left those duties to stablemate Loose Chips, who stayed on for third.

Pre-race favourite was David Pipe’s Dynaste, but he put up another lacklustre show in seventh and will now enjoy his retirement. “We haven’t had a winner since December 14, they’ve been running well, but not winning, so it’s a relief,” said Longdson of his 20-1 victor. “Pete The Feat has been a legend for years, it’s the 10th win of his career.

“Loose Chips ran a blinder as well. He’s missed three weeks since his last win and only been in training 10 days.”

Aidan Coleman was on board and had earlier won on the promising Don Bersy (7-1) for Tom Symonds in the 32Red Casino Juvenile Hurdle.

Symonds said: “He travels beautifully and jumps well.

“On the grass at home he is a bit rapid, and you need to back off him sometimes, but Ben Poste has done a lot of schooling with him.

“He is a nice horse and we were coming here full of hope.

“The owner is realistic and they like to go small rather than big.

“He is not the biggest, but he is filling out more and more.”

Over in Ireland, Death Duty extended his winning spree with victory in a dramatic renewal of the Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas.

There was little to choose between Gordon Elliott’s 5-6 
favourite Death Duty and Augusta Kate jumping the final obstacle when the latter crashed out, leaving the market leader in a clear lead.

In the end, Death Duty passed the post with nine lengths in hand over Turcagua, with Blood Crazed Tiger in third.

Elliott said: “He’s a proper, big three-mile chaser.

“At this stage, of all the good horses I’ve had, none of them were ever as good as hurdlers as him, but that doesn’t mean they’ll do it as chasers. I’d say he’s a fair one.”