Cheltenham Festival: Haiti Couleurs 7/1 for Gold Cup after easy Denman Chase success at Newbury for Rebecca Curtis

Haiti Couleurs made all the running to win the William Hill Denman Chase at Newbury and set up a potential tilt at the Gold Cup in the process.

Rebecca Curtis' pride and joy has graduated out of handicaps, winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last season which he followed up with a win in the Irish National.

This season he began with a victory over hurdles but then disappointed in the Betfair Chase which put plans on the back burner, however, he bounced back in style to win the Welsh National.

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Sean Bowen set out to make it a real test in the very soft ground but his usual sure-footed jumping was not as slick as in the past, meaning he was getting into the bottom of his fences.

L'Homme Presse and Leave Of Absence both closed up approaching the third last but that was when Haiti Couleurs' stamina kicked in and he displayed a nice turn of foot in the ground to go and win by seven lengths.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 7/1 from 10/1 for the Gold Cup, with Curtis delighted to see her pre-race nerves turn into excitement for the Cheltenham Festival blue riband.

She said: "There were lots of expectations today and he's gone and shown he must have some sort of chance in the Gold Cup. L'Homme Presse is a really good yardstick and although I'm not saying he's gone and beaten a Gold Cup field, he's done really well.

"I was really nervous and I'm just glad it is out the way. He likes to be ridden positively and we weren't going to change that and just keep it simple.

"I was confident he was more than a handicapper and it's not like he's been beaten in a handicap and you know where their mark is. He's practically unbeaten in handicaps and we still don't probably know where his ceiling is.

"He'll enjoy the Gold Cup trip and he loves going up and down hills and undulating tracks. It was Sean in fact who said how much he loves going fast down hill and he has great balance."

For champion jockey Sean Bowen he also now can look forward to heading to Prestbury Park with a flagship mount as he still searches for an elusive first strike at National Hunt's showpiece meeting.

Bowen said: "He was a bit cold in front on his own and he's never had to make the running right from the start. He was careful at a few early on and warmed up nicely into it and then actually showed a turn of foot when they came to him and I was surprised how well he quickened.

"He's just a good horse and he makes it easy for you. He's going to be a horse that three-miles-two around Cheltenham and then up the hill will really suit him. Whether he is good enough or not I don't know but everything will suit him on the day.

"He loves Cheltenham which is a big asset to any Gold Cup horse and he will stay all day and jump and he just does things like a good horse. Whether he's good enough after the back of the last we don't know but he'll definitely be there pitching turning in."

He added: "You want to be riding in Gold Cups and I have only ridden in one and finished fourth, so to finish a few places higher would be nice."