The Lucinda Russell-trained horse jumped excellently out in front and never looked like being headed; he has now been shortened for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with connections unsure on his target at this point
Saturday 5 February 2022 16:25, UK
Ahoy Senor returned to winning ways at Wetherby with a taking success in the Grade Two William Hill Towton Novices' Chase.
The seven-year-old was last seen finishing second behind Bravemansgame in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, an experience trainer Lucinda Russell considers an essential part of his education and improved jumping.
Starting as the 8-11 favourite in a field of four, the bay made all of the running and galloped to a straightforward five-and-a-half-length victory over Noble Yeats under jockey Derek Fox.
The Cheltenham Festival is next on the agenda for the seven-year-old, but Russell is yet to decide on a specific target as both novice and open company avenues are available to him.
"He'll just go straight there, I don't know if he'll go for the Brown Advisory or he'll go for the Gold Cup," she said.
"I would suspect, if the trainer has her way, he'll go for the Brown Advisory, but I'll go speak to the owners, speak to my assistant, Scu (Peter Scudamore), and speak to Derek too and see what he thinks.
"He is a novice and he's still learning, what you saw at Kempton is that he's not the finished product. I'd like to think that this time next year we'll have a really exciting horse - we do already."
