'He shows us so much' - Honeysuckle's brother impresses to set up Grade 1 tilt

Wednesday: Wincanton

Expectations are always going to be high when you are a brother to the mighty Honeysuckle, and Last Royal finally showed why trainer Keiran Burke talks about him so highly with a bloodless victory in the 2m5½f novice hurdle.

Burke believes the seven-year-old is the best horse he has been involved with which is a statement worth remembering considering the ex-jockey-turned-trainer's former glories with Hunt Ball and Holmwood Legend.

It took Last Royal a fifth start over hurdles to finally fulfil on his promise, but he did so with complete ease, moving well clear after three out and keeping on to beat closest challenger Makin'yourmindup by 42 lengths.

Connections could now consider an ambitious tilt at the top level in Aintree's Sefton Novices' Hurdle over 3m on April 8.

Burke, recording his fifth winner of the campaign, said: "I've always said he's the best horse I've had anything to do with, but he's been proving me wrong up until now. He's not been straightforward, he's got his little quirk and he's still a frame of a horse, but I think the penny's dropped here.

"Where we go from now, I don't know. We could go for another novice hurdle under a penalty or step him right up [in class] and have a go. The owners aren't scared to have a pop, and if he does go anywhere it'll be over three miles at Aintree.

"He shows us so much at home, the step up to three miles is only going to be a help and whether he's going to be good enough for a Grade 1, only time will tell. He'll make a better chaser too."

The success was also a 50th winner of the season for jockey Nick Scholfield.

Emotional success

No No Tonic recorded a win at the 18th time of asking and it proved particularly special for owner Neville McMullan, who feared the horse would never race again after an incident on this day 12 months ago.

After finishing a short-head second in a 1m7½f handicap hurdle last season, she broke out of the horsebox leaving the course and badly cut herself on the top of her back leg – putting her racing career in jeopardy.

No No Tonic: off the mark at the 18th attemptCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

However, she beat the odds to race again and continued to surprise on her previous appearance, picking up black type when third in a Listed race at Exeter last month before this crowning moment where she kicked clear up the straight to pull away and win by 11 lengths.

An emotional McMullan said: "It was a deep cut she got that day, we never thought she'd get back on the racecourse so this is absolutely unbelievable. We had all sorts of issues as she was so badly injured, but she's come back. First she's got black type and now she's a winner, she's a star."

No No Tonic was also giving trainer Mark Gillard a welcome first success in 289 days.

Final-race drama

Adrien Du Pont was advancing on a ten-length lead approaching the penultimate fence in the 2m4f hunter chase, but he came down, allowing Wagner to pick up the pieces.

Results, replays and analysis

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