'He's got a gearbox' - Bubble Dubi set for £100,000 Sandown season finale after breakthrough success

Bubble Dubi built on some promising bumper and novice hurdle form to get off the mark at the seventh attempt in the feature 2m½f handicap hurdle.

The six-year-old was second to the shortest-priced British contender for Tuesday’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Tahmuras, on his first start over hurdles at Chepstow in November, but was a disappointing fifth on his handicap debut at Warwick last month.

Ciaran Gethings always looked confident on Bubble Dubi, who was backed into 7-4 favouritism from 11-2, before winning by three lengths.

“He’s just been a bit of a weak finisher,” said winning trainer Stuart Edmunds. “He’s always been a bit keen; it can end up being a bit of a tug of war with him."

Bubble Dubi, who was also placed in a bumper behind another Supreme hope Rare Edition, will now be targeted at a £100,000 race at Sandown on April 29.

Edmunds added: “We’ll probably go to the final at Sandown on the last day of the season. He has got a gearbox. He’s a nice horse.”

Bo backs up

The 2m2½f juvenile hurdle may not have been what connections originally envisaged Bo Zenith running in on Cheltenham Festival week, having beaten JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Blood Destiny at Auteuil last April.

However, the Olly Harris-owned four-year-old has bounced back well from being overturned at odds-on at Sandown on his British debut for Gary Moore, with victory here under Caoilin Quinn after success in the Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle last time.

Tom Cannon rode Bo Zenith at Haydock on that occasion and the jockey was on hand to help another horse to back-to-back wins, as Grandeur D’Ame took the 2m1f handicap chase.

Landmark win

Huw Edwards rode his first winner under rules at the 48th attempt on Joe O’Shea’s Time Leader in the 2m5f novice hunter chase.

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