'Fantastic' Bravemansgame to be aimed at Grade 1 Christmas target

Saturday: Haydock

Bravemansgame looked every inch Paul Nicholls' next chasing star with a stylish success in the Betfair Graduation Chase.

Owned by John Dance and Bryan Drew, Bravemansgame was a natural over the fences in the 2m5½f contest, with Harry Cobden a picture of calm as the 8-13 shot easily followed up last month's winning chase debut at Newton Abbot.

The Grade 1-winning novice hurdler suffered defeats at the big spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree, but promises to be a better chaser and is set to go for the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

"He's physically improving and is obviously very good," said Nicholls, whose previous seven winners of this race included chasing heavyweights Clan Des Obeaux and Politologue.

"He jumped fantastically well and has got so much scope chasing was always going to be the big thing for him. He'll go for the Kauto Star next on Boxing Day. It's the obvious race to go for, three miles around Kempton will be absolutely brilliant for him."

Bravemansgame, who finished third in last season's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, was cut to 5-1 (from 7-1) for the Festival Novices' Chase and 8-1 from (10-1) for the Marsh by Betfair.

Nicholls was already looking towards the 2022 King George for the six-year-old and regarding a return to the Cheltenham in March, he said: "We'll see what happens with all the others around him, but if he's good enough to go there with a winning chance, we'll go.

"It's a long way off and we'll make a decision nearer the time, but he's definitely a possible."

Busy Izzy

Evan Williams fought back the tears after daughter Izzy gained her biggest win on Dans Le Vent in the Grade 3 Betfair Exchange Stayers' Handicap Hurdle.

The winning jockey, 24, brought her mount from the rear for a hard-earned victory over Riggs in the £100,000 contest.

Evan Williams: 'I'm a dinosaur'Credit: Harry Trump

The trainer said: "I wouldn't have run the horse but Izzy said he had a chance and it was great prize-money.

"She's a huge part of what we do at home and it's great that she's got a big win. I thought going up to three miles was stupid, but I'm a dinosaur and it's good job the kids are there to point me in the right direction."

Izzy Williams, who picked up a two-day ban for using her whip in the incorrect place on the run to the line, said of her mount: "He was brilliant today and the step up in trip really suited. I was fairly confident but you can only ask him once, so I was glad I didn't have to use my petrol early."

Hughes on 99

Runaway jockeys' championship title leader Brian Hughes landed his 99th winner of the season with an enterprising ride on Barrichello in the Listed Newton Novices' Hurdle.

The success of the Owners Group-owned five-year-old continued the brilliant form of trainer Donald McCain, who with 70 winners has already bettered his total from each of the last three campaigns.

Barrichello assumed favouritism at 7-4 after the late withdrawal of Might I and McCain said: "We know what this race can be like sometimes and we decided to take a punt. We were going to go chasing with him, but we'll just have to see now."

Jumping Bean

Furius De Ciergues suffered a shock last-gasp defeat to Jersey Bean in a slow-motion finish to the 3m4½f handicap chase.

The runner-up was matched at the minimum 1.01 for £13,261 in-running on the Betfair Exchange, with the Johnny Burke-ridden Jersey Bean hitting a high of 160 on the way to his half-length success.

Results, replays and analysis

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