Gold Cup winner rediscovers jumping enthusiasm

Last season's unbeaten Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kauto Star (Village Star - Kauto Relka, by Port Etienne) had looked a little tardy at times over his jumps in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on his reappearance last month but he put that behind him at Haydock on Saturday with a good round of jumping that saw him beat his old rival Exotic Dancer in the Grade One Betfair Chase over three miles at Haydock.

As expected, Ollie Magern took the lead at a good pace with the pack 20 lengths adrift. Kauto Star jumped well for jockey Sam Thomas, having his the highest profile ride of his career as he deputised for the injured Ruby Walsh. The Alan King-trained Arkle winner My Way De Solzen was travelling more easily than any after the first circuit, but his stamina was insufficient to see him home as Kauto Star jumped into an undisputed lead five fences from home.

Exotic Dancer was hard held in third on the turn in and took second from My Way De Solzen as the latter began to struggle. The pair went clear and Kauto Star increased his advantage with good jumping in the straight before tiring slightly on the run in, where he had to be driven out to deny Exotic Dancer by under a length.

Tactics changed after Ollie Magern went off in front

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: "We're back on track, not that we were ever off it. I was never as disappointed last time as everybody else.

"Paddy went bursting off in front and Sam had to change the tactics as we were going to drop him in. He then got left in front a little bit, but he has done the right thing and the horse has jumped and travelled.

"I said last time he would need the run at Aintree and there aren't many three-mile chasers who would have laid up with Monet's Garden that day.

"This and the Gold Cup have always been his targets, obviously there is one in between (the King George VI Chase at Kempton) but the Gold Cup is the race I want to win with him now.

"This shows we are back where we were."

Pigeon Island and Millennium Royal run well on undercard

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Pigeon Island (Daylami - Morina, by Lyphard), an improving four-year-old having his thirteenth start of the season, was produced late to run on strongly past toiling rivals in the very soft conditions to score gamely in the Reg Griffin 50 years at Timeform Hurdle over two miles. Pouvoir was second and Gwanako third.

Francois Doumen was on the mark with Millennium Royal (Mansonnien - Pink Champagne, by Blue Courtier), who shouldered top weight to run out an impressive winner of the Betfair Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle over the larger, more solid hurdle course.

Peter Bowen's Special Envoy came to the front with a super impressive run on the bridle for Paddy Merrigan but fell at the last, leaving Doumen's seven-year-old to collect at a course he plainly loves on his favourite ground. Last weeks' Cheltenham winner Sunnyanjoe was a good second and Halcon Genelardais was third.