Dream start: former Henderson inmate Swapped completes 31-length romp on first outing for the Pogsons

Adam Pogson was delighted after a plan came together when his Swapped won the 3m2f handicap chase by 31 lengths.

The six-year-old was having his first run for Pogson and his father and joint-trainer Charles since being sold out of Nicky Henderson’s yard for £18,000 last month.

Pogson said: “I was really pleased with him today because this race was the plan as soon as we bought him. I had a feeling that a step up to three miles or more would really help this horse.

“I’ve had my eye on him for a while because they sell enough horses out of Henderson’s and he was always just a bit behind the bridle and kept running on strongly.”

With the good ground at Southwell suiting Swapped, Pogson was keen to emphasise the importance of the going, as he eyes more success with his progressive stayer.

“I spoke to a few of the lads in Nicky’s yard and they told me a bit about him. Ground is important enough because he definitely wouldn’t want it soft. We will keep on going with him until the ground goes.

“Once these horses are fit they don’t need a lot of work. We ride ours every other day and they are turned out in the field all together and we keep them happy.”

Mani lengths clear

Remarkably, Swapped’s 31-length victory was not the biggest winning margin on the card, as Manimole herself produced a powerful front-running effort in the 2m novice hurdle with Sam Twiston-Davies riding the six-year-old to an enormous 47-length victory.

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