'He could run a cracker' - Rothwell chasing Aintree Foxhunters' dream with Casey West after hunter chase victory

Philip Rothwell continued his best season for many years, and revealed that the Randox Foxhunters' at Aintree was the target for Casey West, after he gained a deserved success in the maiden hunter chase.

After finishing second in two point-to-points before suffering a narrow defeat in a maiden hunter chase at Limerick a couple of weeks earlier, the 7-4 favourite got up on the line to beat Dromleigh by a head in the hands of Tiernan Power Roche.

"We took a chance coming here today so soon after Limerick, and he would not have been suited by the tight right-handed track. He's much better going left-handed," said Rothwell.

"I'm hoping that I have read the entry conditions right for the Foxhunters'. I need to check it to be sure, but he has been placed now in two hunter chases. We can go back to point-to-points now that he's qualified. I just think that going left-handed over there with the shorter trip and the fact that he jumps fences so well, he could run a cracker.

"He will go on better ground, but you can get soft ground at Aintree and that would be fine. A lot of the hunter chasers are dour stayers, but this fellow has a bit of class and he can be ridden positively."

Mullins in treble form again

With three short-priced favourites on the card, champion trainer Willie Mullins was expected to go home with a treble. The only upset came with the defeat of the Paul Townend-ridden 4-6 favourite Enola in the 2m½f mares' maiden hurdle. But Mullins knows how to get the best from these opportunities, as stablemate Implicit was the one to take advantage under Brian Hayes.

Townend was on for the other two legs of the treble. Odds-on Quai De Bourbon was not entirely convincing coming back to 2m½f for the feature conditions hurdle, but the Gigginstown-owned French-bred did enough to hold off stablemate Westport Cove by a half a length.

Despite some novicey jumping, the most impressive winner of the three was Jimmy Du Seuil in the 2m½f maiden hurdle. He made some some errors, but the five-year-old showed a potent turn of foot against modest opposition to win by nine lengths.

Townend said: "He had a nice run the first day and did Asian Master, who beat him, no harm. That winner jumped well in Thurles and is a smart horse, so this horse was entitled to do that today.

"I didn't want to light him up early, and he missed a couple of hurdles, but jumped well in the middle of the race and I took the safety option at the last. I think when he gets competitive, he'll jump much better."

Townend was banned for two days for using his whip above shoulder height on Quai De Bourbon.

Harding off cold list

It was a good day for Castletownroche trainer Marie Harding, who saddled her first winner since July 2016 when the Joanna Walton-ridden Lissen To The Lady gamely landed the closing 2m4f handicap hurdle.

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, the reigning Racing Writer of the Year, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.