Storm Darragh may have scuppered King Turgeon lining up in last weekend’s BoyleSports Becher Chase at Aintree but the talented grey gained a major success in the £100,000 Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Coming Soon Handicap Chase (3m 2f), the feature contest on day one of The Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham today.

The six-year-old Turgeon gelding (9-4) took the field along. A mistake three out saw him relinquish the lead but he rallied well to regain the advantage at the last and stayed on resolutely to win by three lengths from Our Power with favourite Chianti Classico another length back in third.

Winning trainer David Pipe said: “We thought he’d run well at Chepstow first time out and he surprised us by the manner of his victory. The Grand Sefton was an early closing race and the way he schools I thought it was worth going for as depth-wise it may not have been the strongest race for the prize money on offer. So, after he won that it was my job done really and everything after that was a bonus and today is a massive bonus.”

On King Turgeon’s improvement this season, he added: “I think it is the combination of a breathing operation and being by Turgeon, who are late developers.

“He has always been a fairly good work horse at home but seems to have strengthened up during the summer and is also still only six turning seven.

 

“Turning for home, I was a little bit worried but I think in hindsight the couple of mistakes he made might have actually helped him. It’s a big galloping track and watching the earlier races, the first two winners came from towards the rear and the last hurdle winner came from the front. This horse likes to get on with it and showed a lot of courage today and it was a great ride by Jack. He fought strongly up the hill.”

On whether King Turgeon could return to Aintree for the Randox Grand National, Pipe added: “I don’t know. He has put in three career-bests already this season. When horses get on a roll like that, you never know. It’s a dream – whether it’s this year or next year.

“If he was to get into the Grand National at some point, the way he jumps you would probably like to have a go.”

Jack Tudor said: “Coming down the hill, you shut your eyes, keep going forward and hope you find something.

“Luckily he is good on his feet. He is brilliant, jumps everywhere and luckily found a leg when he needed to.

“He travelled beautifully and jumped really, really well. Down the hill, I was flat out from three out but I knew we were racing a long way. I switched going to two out and his ears pricked so I thought he’s got plenty left.

“I challenged going to the last, got a good jump and he has seen it out well.”

The opening British EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (2m 1f) saw an eye-catching performance by Country Mile (5-1), who scored by a facile five lengths under Harry Skelton.

Dan Skelton, the triumphant trainer, said: “The manner of victory was very surprising. They probably went very quick up front and obviously the mare (That's Nice 8/11 Fav, 4th) didn’t give her running so we will have to take the form with a pinch of salt.

“Concentrating on our horse, he looked very, very good. There was on jump at the top of the hill where he left a leg down. That frustrates me that he keeps jumping the odd one or two like that because without that you could really, really trust him. I know it is going to take a bit of time before we can really, really trust him.

“He needs one more run to qualify for open handicaps so we have to bear that in mind. He could be one for Aintree at the backend of the season. I’d like to say we’ll come back here for the Supreme but on this track with his jumping I think you’d be taking an unnecessary risk. He’ll stay at two miles, he’s very fast.”

Jango Baie (7-4) was a Grade One winner over hurdles and made the perfect start to his chasing career when the six-and-a-half lengths winner of the SSS Super Alloys Novices' Chase (2m 4 1/2f) under Nico de Boinville.

Nicky Henderson, the winning trainer, said: “You are always a little bit nervous coming here for their first run over fences. All the others had experience and like last year he was a bit fresh. He went and really tackled the first three fences – we were actually intending to drop him in a bit but he wasn’t having any of that.

“He is pretty straightforward to be fair and has always jumped very nicely and is quite accurate. He wouldn’t be the biggest horse in the world but has got a lot of scope. Nico asked him some good questions and has helped him – he held his hand all the way round. But he asked him some proper questions and good some proper answers.

“You’d say two and a half miles would be his route (to the Cheltenham Festival if it was there but it’s not. We are lucky to have some nice novice chaser this season and we have to see who are two-milers and who are three-milers. I think handicaps are out and it’s a nice problem to have! Peaky Boy was in this race but now runs tomorrow (in the Josh Wyke Birthday Novices' Limited Handicap Chase) over three miles. He was very good here over two and a half at the last meeting.”

Conditional jockey Luke Scott enjoyed his first Cheltenham winner when partnering Mirabad (10-1) to victory in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle (2m 1f). Trained by Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole, the five-year-old went clear from the fourth flight and held on to win by five and a half lengths.

Scott, 22, said: “That was amazing. He is just a horse that has such a high cruising speed and I was almost inconveniencing him by trying to settle him in behind.

“Once he got into a rhythm out in front, I still expected him to stop turning in but I looked up at the big screen and was still 10-15 lengths in front and had plenty underneath me. He just kept going and is a lovely horse.

“He always holds a bit back for himself and you never know how much is under the bonnet really. He has won on softer ground in France and I don’t think it’s a massive issue but he rattled off that decent ground and is able to use his speed to full effect.

“The last time I should have nearly won but asked him for a stride that wasn’t there and did well to get to the other side. There were a couple of hairy moments today but he is very quick from A to B. It probably doesn’t always look the most appealing but he’s very good.

“It’s an amazing feeling. You dream of riding winners here all your childhood and to be given the opportunity to ride one in one of these better handicaps is an amazing feeling – a feeling that is unrivalled. I wasn’t sure we’d win but thought he’d be thereabouts – he shows us so much at home.”

The Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Series Handicap Chase (2m 1/2 4f) went to Numitor (Heather Main/James Bowen, 10-1).