Unconvincing chase victory for Willoughby Court

Willoughby Court produced a sketchy jumping display but at least got the job done on his chasing debut at Huntingdon.

Much is expected of Ben Pauling's six-year-old this season after he claimed victory in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

And though he eventually won the 188Bet-sponsored novices' chase over two and a half miles, Willoughby Court looked far from the finished article.

Early mistakes, most notably at the third fence, were exacerbated by a tendency to jump to his left.

He even looked fleetingly beaten approaching the penultimate fence as runner-up Casablanca Mix and The Unit jumped into contention.

But Willoughby Court responded nicely under Nico de Boinville and the 2-5 favourite crossed the line with a length and a quarter in hand.

De Boinville said: "It took a while to get there, and it didn't look pretty early doors, but he has done it. He has warmed up to it in the end.

"There is so much more to come from him. He has gone down to those first few fences as if he has never a seen a fence in his life before.

"He has got bags of potential and ability. He will get there."

Pauling said: "In the circumstances for him still to win, that shows his class.

"It was more the ditch that half-scared him. Nico did well to nurse him back in and get him going as nicely as he did. The chips were down turning for home and he found what he needed.

"There are a lot of positives to be taken. I think there is a huge amount improvement to come and, in all honesty, that is a good thing.

"He has got round and he hasn't fallen. We will go home and we have got plenty to work with but it is good to see the engine is still there.

"We will definitely go left-handed next time out and we won't be rushing back right-handed at the moment.

"The two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two at the Hennessy meeting would be our next port of call.

"There will be plenty of people queuing up to take him on now. I invite them to come and have a go.

"These good horses are there to be taken on. It is never going to be an easy season for him but he has started and won. I'm thrilled."

Equus Secretus got the ball rolling for Pauling and De Boinville when he ground out a half-length victory in the Brian Martin Wood Chip Animal Bedding Novices' Hurdle. Grade One-winning stablemate Barters Hill claimed this prize in 2015.

Pauling said of the 5-2 winner: "He is not too dissimilar to Barters Hill in many ways.

"We wanted to try and make it a good test and Nico was exceptional from the front, as always.

"I like the way he battled when they joined him at the last. He is probably the best jumper I have trained."

Ian Williams appears to have another useful dual-purpose performer on his hands after Listed Flat scorer Speedo Boy (even-money favourite) ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner of the bandmpalletsupplies.co.uk Juvenile Hurdle.

He said: "I thought it was a workmanlike performance. There were a couple of moments, but there was not a strong enough pace.

"He was quite novicey and not as frank as he could be in front, but there is improvement to come and it was nice to get him off the mark.

"He will probably have one more run before having a winter break."

Tom Cannon ended his 797-day wait for a winner at the Cambridgeshire track when galvanising the Chris Gordon-trained Night Generation (7-1) to glory by three-quarters of a length in the concluding three-mile-one-furlong handicap.

Cannon said: "I've had a few here when I first started. I had my first winner (Elgin) at Ascot in more than four years on Saturday.

"They are like busses, two coming along at once."