Expert opinion: what our analyst thought of Champ's winning debut over fences

Champ made a highly satisfactory debut over fences at Newbury on Thursday, which will have satisfied his trainer Nicky Henderson.

While he didn’t have to better his Grade 1-winning hurdle form to score at the first attempt in this new discipline, there was plenty to like about the way he sauntered past the pace-making Dashel Drasher – a smart sort in his own right – late on.

There’s certainly room for improvement in the jumping department – he was a bit novicey on occasions – but he’s in very good hands and he’ll be even better once he goes back over three miles.