Hatch left elated as Blaklion shows his credentials

The success under jockey Ryan Hatch completed a memorable 20 minutes for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies after Bristol De Mai’s imposing victory in Sandown’s Grade One Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

Both horses are likely to have different targets at Cheltenham – Bristol De Mai will head to the JLT Chase over an extended two-and- a-half miles, while the Wetherby winner will be aimed at the three-mile RSA Chase.

Yet the most relieved trainer at Wetherby was, arguably, Sandy Thomson after he withdrew his stable star Seeyouatmidnight – a standard-bearer for Northern jump racing – from the Towton following a bad scope.

His horse beat Blaklion at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day – form which looks even better now – and Seeyouatmidnight was spared this gruelling test in which no quarter was given from the off.

In stamina-sapping conditions, some classy animals such as Bitofapuzzle and Native River were beaten before the top of the straight as Malton trainer Brian Ellison’s Definitly Red pushed on.

Class won through, though, as Blaklion jumped nimbly in the straight to pull eight lengths clear of Definitly Red, who was a very tired horse by the last of the 17 fences.

“He didn’t give up,” said an elated Hatch, 22. “I don’t know what to say. He missed one in the straight but was straight back up there. I knew the straight would be a slog and I just tried to save as much energy as possible.”

The jockey left school at 16 to work for Twiston-Davies and has been one of the beneficiaries of the trainer’s son Sam switching to the yard of Paul Nicholls.

Hatch came to the fore exactly two years ago when winning Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle on Splash Of Ginge and derives confidence from being entrusted with rides like Blaklion in Graded races where he can not use his conditional rider’s weight allowance.

His ride was praised by the trainer’s assistant, Carl Llewellyn, the two-time Grand National-winning jockey, who confirmed Blaklion will head for the RSA Chase.

“Ryan rode a lovely race on him,” said Llewellyn. “That took some getting today in those conditions and he’s not very big, but he jumped really well.

“He’s clever, since he fell at Cheltenham he’s barely touched a twig. The thinking before today was the RSA and I don’t see why that should change now.”

This was a second Towton triumph for the Twiston-Davies team after Ollie Magern prevailed in 2005.

Colin Tizzard was out of luck in the Towton with Native River, who was a leg-weary third but took his record at Wetherby this season to four winners from just six runners as the veteran Sew On Target returned to winning ways in the handicap chase.

He will head to Cheltenham for one of the handicap chases. “I just hope the handicapper doesn’t overreact, he is 11 after all,” said Tizzard.

Asked about the well-being of his Gold Cup horse Cue Card, who won Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase last October, Tizzard said with a smile “he’s good.”

The aforementioned Ellison’s Tomngerry is unbeaten from four starts under rules after playing cat and mouse with his opponents before winning the novice hurdle.

It was a confident Danny Cook’s 31st win of the campaign, equalling his career-best score from last year, and the even-money favourite pulled six lengths clear of Bigirononhiship, who is held in the highest regard by Tony and Rose Dobbin.

Cook said: “I hit the last flight down the back which put him on the back foot, but when I pulled him out into daylight he was much happier and stayed on strongly. Three miles and fences is his game.”

Ellison doubled up in the closing bumper when Sam’s Adventure made a winning debut in the hands of Craig Gallagher.

The 13-year-old Palypso De Creek won the Kenneth Foster 60th Birthday Open Hunters’ Chase for the fourth successive year for Clare Hart.

Meanwhile, Bristol De Mai’s success at Sandown crowned a day of mixed emotions for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede after their Champion Hurdle contender Peace And Co met with a shock defeat in the Contenders Hurdle.

This prize went to Connetable and ended a lean spell by the high standards that the aforementioned Nicholls and Twiston-Davies trainer and jockey combination have come to expect on big race Saturdays.

Connetable will head to the JLT Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham with Nicholls saying: “He is a proper horse that will keep going forward.”