'This was always going to be his game' - chasing the making of Papa Tango Charly

Sunday: Carlisle

Papa Tango Charly looks to be going a small way to repaying his hefty £440,000 price tag after the Jonjo O’Neill-trained six-year-old made it back-to-back wins at the course in the 2m5f handicap chase.

The Nick Scholfield-ridden Irish point-to-point winner won only once in seven starts in a bumper and over hurdles, but proved that October’s chasing and handicap debut win was no fluke, always holding the Nicky Richards-trained Uncle Alastair.

Uncle Alastair's rider Brian Hughes and Richards later gained compensation by taking the 3m2f handicap chase with Glittering Love.

Scholfield, who was handed a two-day suspension for careless riding, told Racing TV: "I was really impressed with Papa. He jumped well again like he did the last day and to carry that weight on the softer ground off a mark of 138 was impressive.

"This was always going to be his game and Jonjo’s done a brilliant job. He’s nursed him along and let him mature and fill into himself which he’s doing now and it’s paying dividends."

O’Neill’s day was to get better still as his son Jonjo O'Neill Jr guided Flight Deck to victory in the feature Pertemps qualifier to complete a double on the card.

The Real Whacker (pink) stays on strongly to beat market leaders Best Trition (red cap) and Gold Cup Bailly (green)Credit: John Grossick

Delight for Duffield

The Real Whacker was a rare runner over jumps for Ann Duffield but it proved a successful venture when he caused a 22-1 upset in the 3m1f maiden hurdle, a first jumps winner for 1,960 days for the North Yorkshire trainer.

The five-year-old’s only previous racecourse appearance came when sixth in a Listowel maiden hurdle for Patrick Neville in September but he struck on his stable debut for Duffield, staying on powerfully to cruise past market leaders Best Trition and Irish raider Gold Cup Bailly.

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