Hang In There set for bigger targets after romping to novice chase success

Wednesday: Worcester

Odds of 1-20 suggested a win for Hang In There in the 2m4f novice chase was going to be a formality, and it duly was under Tom Bellamy.

The eight-year-old faced just three rivals in the opening contest and made all to score by 27 lengths to gain valuable confidence in his first season chasing.

Hang In There, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, made it two out of three over fences to leave trainer Emma Lavelle delighted with the gelding's improvement since going chasing.

"When you go into a race like that there's only one result that's acceptable," Lavelle said. "The positive to come out of it was how confident he was in his jumping, unlike last time at Uttoxeter.

"He will have taken so much confidence from that. I think fences have settled him and made a man out of him. We know he's a nice horse, it will just allow him to move forward to the next level."

With the win coming off an official rating of 143, Hang In There will now be aimed for bigger targets, with Lavelle considering Cheltenham's Showcase meeting in October.

She added: "Gaining this confidence means he'd have no issue stepping into a handicap and he's got the experience to be running off the mark he'll get, rather than dropping in off the deep end."

Brown breaks duck

Gary Brown claimed his first winner for 618 days with Alioski in the second division of the 2m maiden hurdle.

The 5-1 success was a good start for Brown from his new base, having recently moved into Mark Todd's yard in Wiltshire.

Results, replays and analysis

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