Tara Royal lands big gamble in Champion

Report: Musselburgh, Saturday

John Smith's Scottish Champion Chase 2m, 5yo+

THE market spoke volumes as Tara Royal proved good enough to turn this contest into a procession, looking a very well-handicapped horse in a competitive event.

Priced up as big as 16-1 in the morning, Tara Royal was backed from 9-1 on course to an SP of 11-2, and even that price looked a shade generous as he cruised into the lead two out before storming clear of long-time leader Woody Waller and De Boitron to give jockey Jason Maguire win number 99 for the season.

It was probably a career-best performance from the Donald McCain-trained seven-year-old and the winning rider was impressed with his mount afterwards.

"We know he's got a nice engine, but he's been a bit disappointing this season," Maguire said. "He had a fall at Ascot and it's taken him a while to get his confidence back, but that was good."

The jockey added that Cheltenham or Aintree could be on the agenda for the winner with McCain later saying the Grand Annual Chase would be "an obvious place to go".

Reacting to that, bookmakers Paddy Power make the Tara Royal a 20-1 shot for the festival finale, while Hills go shorter at 16-1.