Highly regarded Mister Policeman drifts for the Arkle after workmanlike victory on chase debut

Mister Policeman was pushed out in the betting for the Arkle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival after a workmanlike victory in the 2m½f beginners' chase.

The highly regarded five-year-old was an impressive winner of a hurdle contest at Cork on his last start in April and was expected to win his chasing debut impressively. However, he had to work hard after the final fence to deny stablemate Feu Du Bresil by three-quarters of a length.

Paddy Power and Coral reacted by pushing the Willie Mullins-trained gelding out to 12-1 (from 8) for the Arkle, but rider Paul Townend hopes there is more to come.

He said: "He missed the second last and Danny [Mullins, riding Feu Du Bresil] got away from me a bit but I got on top from the back of the last and it was snug in the end. His jumping can sharpen up and I think a stronger pace will help his jumping.

"We were on the back foot jumping the second last after we had gone so steadily. We had to pick him up and when I gave him a flick he extended nicely. I thought we were in schooling mode for most of the way. Feu Du Bresil, in fairness to him, showed a good level over hurdles at Punchestown in the spring and was unexposed. He's a nice yardstick, but we would have hoped that we could beat him all the same."  

The Arkle betting is headed by last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Marine Nationale at 5-2, while Mister Policeman's stablemate Facile Vega is a 3-1 shot following his chasing debut win at Navan last weekend.

Jetara bounces back

Jetara put a disappointing run at Down Royal earlier this month behind her when she ran out a stylish winner of the opening 2m4f mares' maiden hurdle for trainer Jessica Harrington. 

The 4-7 favourite was left in front two out when front-runner Jazzie De Chaillac came back to the field, but quickened clear after the final flight to score by 16 lengths. 

The daughter of Walk In The Park, owned and bred by Gerry McGrath and already the winner of a Listed bumper, is likely to step back into Graded company for her next start.

Harrington said: "At Down Royal she was like a lunatic, but she was very relaxed today. What I did do was take her to the Curragh on Tuesday to school her over hurdles and it just took the edge off her. She handled that ground too which is not really for that family. We will go down the mares route now."

It was Irish jump jockeys' championship leader Jack Kennedy's first winner for a trainer other than Gordon Elliott this season.

Kennedy doubled up when the Elliott-trained Better Days Ahead impresively won the 2m7½f maiden hurdle. The Elliott-trained five-year-old's 11-length success took the jockey's strike-rate in the last fortnight to a red-hot 32 per cent.

Read these next:

Five novice hurdlers and chasers who could shake up the ante-post Cheltenham Festival markets this weekend 

Confirmed runners and riders for the 2023 Betfair Chase at Haydock - plus a big-race tip and free bet 

'It's been phenomenal but the time is right' - Grade 1-winning rider Denis O'Regan retires at Navan 

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.