Stag Horn shows festival potential for Archie Watson with hurdles debut success

Saturday: Hereford

From Champions Day to Cheltenham, Archie Watson has his sights set on a first festival winner after Stag Horn made a winning debut over jumps in the 2m3½f novice hurdle.

Gavin Sheehan's mount had high-class form on the Flat, winning five of his 13 starts with a best RPR of 108, and made all here to score by a length and three-quarters.

“He's got a high level of ability on the Flat and it was very sporting of the owners to have a go over hurdles,” said Watson.

“Gavin felt that if he continued to progress he could be one for the Albert Bartlett because he'll step up to three miles in time. It would be fantastic if he could end up at the Cheltenham Festival.”

Watson paid tribute to the contribution of legendary jumps trainer Henrietta Knight. “She does a lot of our schooling and ground work with them and Stag Horn has been with her,” he said.

Watson, who celebrated a first Group 1 winner on the Flat on British Champions Day last year, was keen to stress the range of his training prowess. “We got a name on the Flat for training two-year-olds, but it shows our versatility and that we can train anything.”

Stag Horn is an eighth individual winner from 11 runners over jumps for Arc and Derby hero Golden Horn.

Treble for Sheehan

Gavin Sheehan, having scored on Stag Horn, struck on the Jamie Snowden-trained Hardy Du Seuil in the 2m novice handicap chase and completed a treble aboard Decorated for Oliver Signy in the bumper.

Results, replays and analysis

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