Oscars Brother ignites Cheltenham and Aintree dream for two-horse trainer on first start for JP McManus

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Oscars Brother put himself firmly in the picture for a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival – and potentially the Grand National – with a dominant front-running performance in the Grade 2 William Hill Ten Up Novice Chase under Daniel King for his brother Connor.

Having reached a rating of 135 in nine starts over hurdles, the eight-year-old has stepped up his game over fences and steadily improved with each of his four starts this season.

He has now landed his last three races, including a pair of Grade 2s, and had little trouble in shouldering a 5lb penalty at Navan following his Florida Pearl success in November.

Leading owner JP McManus purchased the progressive novice chaser after that Punchestown success, and it looks like a shrewd acquisition after King steered the 6-4 favourite to an authoritative six-length success over The Wallpark, with Western Walk a further four lengths adrift in third.

He never saw another rival from flag-fall and powered through the heavy ground for another remarkable success for the trainer, who has had four winners this season from just two horses at his Tipperary yard.

"It was a brilliant performance," said Connor King. "He loved the ground and had his ears pricked the whole way. It looked like he could have gone around again, so it was great. 

"He's a very easy horse to ride so I leave it up to Dan, but if someone wanted to give us a lead, we'd be happy enough. He's taking racing well and improving."

Connor King: has a 40 per cent strike-rate this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Paddy Power cut the winner into 8-1 (from 12) in its non-runner no bet market for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on March 11, and that is just one of the big targets that could be on the horizon.

The trainer said: "The timing of the Brown Advisory would be good, so we'll see. He's entered in the Grand National but he'd obviously need one more run, and that's an option."

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Cheltenham, March 11)
Paddy Power: 7-2 Final Demand, 4 Romeo Coolio, 9-2 Kaid D'Authie, 5 The Big Westerner, 13-2 Wendigo, 7 Western Fold, 8 Oscars Brother, 10 bar.

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