Colonel Harry set Grade 1 target after comfortable chase debut win for Jamie Snowden

Jamie Snowden has high expectations for Colonel Harry and set him a Grade 1 target after he won the 2m novice handicap chase on his debut over fences.

Runner-up in the Grade 2 Premier Novices' Hurdle at Kelso when last seen in March, the six-year-old stalked the front-running Out Of Office before leading at the last and pulling away to score by two and half lengths under Gavin Sheehan.

Snowden said: "He learnt as he went through the race. His jumping was really good, neat and tight and brave when long, and although he was a bit gassy and keen early on, he settled, relaxed, picked up nicely and galloped through the line well."

Snowden landed this race last year with Datsalrightgino, who is also owned by the GD Partnership and ended last season rated 149 after a Grade 2 success at Ayr, and he believes that Colonel Harry could be even better.

"I'd like to hope that he'd be a better horse than Datsalrightgino," Snowden said. "Datsalrightgino is a very nice horse and goes for the Coral Gold Cup next, but Colonel Harry won that off 132 – 3lb better than Datsalrightgino was at this stage – and hopefully he can improve.

"Datsalrightgino improved 20lb for a fence and this lad has always promised to be a better chaser than hurdler. He was a very good hurdler who was second in a Grade 2 and fourth in a Grade 1 [Tolworth] last season, and hopefully he can step forward again this season."

On targets, Snowden added: "If he comes out of this safe and well, I would have thought we'd go to Sandown for the Henry VIII Novices' Chase [on December 9]."

Sheehan later doubled up when having to work hard to get the Kim Bailey-trained Heros De Romay off the mark at the first attempt over hurdles in the 2m3½f maiden.

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.