Long Run: is spring-heeled on his way to victory at Newbury on Friday
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)Long Run made to work hard to hold off Port
Report: Newbury, Friday
Betfair Denman Chase (Grade 2) 3m 4yo+
HE GAVE his supporters a bit of a fright, but Long Run got the job done and got off the mark for the season in narrowly holding Burton Port, who was closing his stablemate down all the way up the run-in to only finish half a length down at the line.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Gold Cup winner did his chances at Cheltenham next month no harm with a solid enough round of jumping, while the second, getting 10lb from Long Run, improved his prospects for the big one in running really well on his reappearance.
RELATED LINKS
Despite the narrow margin of success, Sam Waley-Cohen was pretty happy with his mount's performance.
Sam Waley Cohen: "really pleased"
PICTURE: David Dew"That is what we came here to do and you never know whether you are going to do it or not.
"I was really pleased with his jumping and that is exactly the kind of confidence-booster you want to go to the Gold Cup with. He has gone out there and done it really well," he said.
Long Run's jumping wasn't foot perfect - he was a bit low at one or two - but it was decent enough round a course which doestake a bit of getting.
In fact in the closing stages it was his fencing that won it, as challenges came first from What A Friend and then Burton Port, but when Waley-Cohen asked him for a big leap over the last couple he delivered, especially with a puissance-like effort at the last which maybe made the difference between victory and defeat.
Burton Port was staying on strongly coming to the final fence but he didn't get away as quickly from it as the winner, who had to stay on well up the long run-in, and did.
