'We're on at 66s' - Elliott unearths early festival hope Chemical Energy

Saturday: Cheltenham

A 61-length success for Chemical Energy was deemed enough to secure his spot in the National Hunt Chase at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival and his trainer Gordon Elliott was particularly happy given he has a 66-1 ante-post wager.

The six-year-old is now no bigger than 16-1 for his March target following an easy win over his two rivals in the 3m½f novice chase.

Elliott plans to give him a five-month break and that route has been successful in the past as Galvin was given the same preparation before winning the Grade 2 novice chase in 2021. His trainer is clearly hopeful of repeating history.

"We're on at 66s!" the trainer responded to news of a price cut. "He wants better ground and Davy [Russell] said the further he went the more he warmed up. You couldn't knock him.

"That's [National Hunt Chase] the type of race he'll go for – the further he goes, the better he'll be. He won't have a run until then. We'll mind him and freshen him up.

"Davy said he pulled him out wide for a bit of better ground; he hated it down the inside where it was more tacky. He's a Cheltenham winner now who's won a few races and that was a good performance."

He completed a double for Elliott and owners Caldwell Construction Ltd and was one of the five Irish-trained winners on the card from seven races.

Milestone winner for Nicholls

Paul Nicholls' winners count hit 3,500 at Cheltenham on Saturday following the success of Shearer, but the champion trainer joked "he hadn't even started yet" after 31 successful years.

The Max McNeill-owned six-year-old surged clear to land the 3m novice hurdle under Adrian Heskin, giving Nicholls a victory with his only runner across the two-day Showcase meeting.

His landmark success came just three days on from the anniversary of Nicholls starting out at his famous Ditcheat stable in Somerset. He joined the training ranks on October 19 in 1991 and has gone on to win 13 jumps trainers' championships and saddle 139 Grade 1 winners.

Nicholls' 3,500 winners

British jumps 3,450
British Flat 18
Ireland 28
France 4

"I arrived at Ditcheat exactly 31 years ago on Wednesday and that's now my 3,500th winner," Nicholls said. "That's across everything. "It's a nice feeling, but we're always looking to head on from that. We haven't even started yet!

"This horse has improved and this is just the job. He had sore shins last season which was playing him up all the time, but he's got over that. He's a much better horse now."

Shearer gets his name as a tribute by Blackburn Rovers fan McNeill to the legendary England striker. Alan Shearer was the division's top scorer when Rovers won the Premier League title in the 1994-95 campaign.

Shoot First and Philip Byrnes land the Pertemps qualifierCredit: John Grossick

Maiden Cheltenham success

Claimer Philip Byrnes was victorious on his first ride at Cheltenham as Shoot First, trained by his father Charles, won the 3m handicap hurdle.

The six-year-old was sent off 9-4 having been available at 11-2 last night.

Results, replays and analysis

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