Vinndication cut for festival after extending his unbeaten record in Grade 2

Vinndication maintained his unbeaten record with a polished round of jumping under David Bass to land the Grade 2 Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot on Friday, prompting bookmakers to cut him for the RSA and JLT Chases at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Kim Bailey-trained 8-13 favourite, who had been a workmanlike winner of his first start over fences at Carlisle, was cut to around 12-1 (from 20) for the RSA and to 16-1 (from 25) for the JLT.

Vinndication was always prominent throughout and held off Jerrysback to score by a length and a half. Lil Rockerfeller, who had unseated early on at Cheltenham last weekend, made several serious jumping errors and probably did well enough in those circumstances to finish third of the four runners.

Vinndication, whose six runs and wins have all come on right-handed tracks, displayed a pleasing attitude under Bass and is likely to head to the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown next.

"We'll try to keep him unbeaten – it's not often a horse wins his first six," said Bailey.

"The best thing that could happen today was to make a mistake at the first as he didn't touch a twig after. He doesn't impress anyone at home but David has always thought he is the best horse he has ever sat on."

Bailey nominated the RSA as the most likely target should the five-year-old be aimed at the Cheltenham Festival.

He said: "He'll stay all day and wants further than this two miles five furlongs."

Vinndication viewpoint

Vinndication might not be as flashy as some who have built up unbeaten records over the years, but he does pretty much everything right and the way he jumped at Ascot you'd have thought he'd been doing it all his life. He seems to pull out more whenever anything comes at him and, while soft ground might prove to be a necessity given he had sore shins last season, there are plenty of races to be won with him away from the spring festivals. He'll surely improve again when going up to three miles and is a thoroughly likeable horse.

Racing Post Betting editor Paul Kealy

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