Horse racing Leicester review: Perfect fencing start for Pazham

A review of Wednesday's action from Leicester as Algernon Pazham made a decent impression on his chasing debut.

Owner Graham Jelley is hoping Algernon Pazham can live up to expectations over fences after making a promising start with victory at the first attempt in the Otter Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Leicester.

The six-year-old, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, was a useful novice hurdler last term but was returning to the track after a 325-day absence.

However, that did not stop the 3/1 chance galloping on strongly to beat Medieval Chapel by seven lengths.

Jelley said: "He had a niggle following his last win in March and he was late going back into training as he got kicked out in the field and smashed underneath the splint bone.

"That was a bit of a worry and it takes time for it to heal.

"We hoped he would be a better chaser than a hurdler and today was the first stage of him proving that."

Carl Llewellyn, assistant to the winning trainer, said: "It's the old cliche that we always thought he'd make a better chaser.

"He's jumped well at home, it wasn't the greatest race today and we hoped he'd do it today. We've not made any plans for him."

His rider Sam Twiston-Davies had earlier struck on As De Mee (15/8 favourite) for his boss Paul Nicholls in the EBF Stallions 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier).

The EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final on March 7 at Sandown, where the five-year-old was successful in December is the likely objective, as he made amends for a defeat in better company at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

As De Mee, owned jointly by Andy Stewart of Big Buck's fame and actress Dame Judi Dench, ploughed through the testing ground to defeat market rival Tara Mist by half a length.

"I've been told the EBF Final is the target and better ground would probably suit him," said the jockey.

"He's a nice horse. It's just taken a bit of time for him to relax."

However, the rider could not make it a treble as he was on the wrong one when his mount Rossoneri was pulled up as Valid Point (7/1), ridden by Mark Grant, gave Twiston-Davies senior a double in the Running Hare Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old, owned by Wally Sturt, was five lengths too good for the 5/2 favourite King Of Glory.

"His ex-trainer Jim Old rides him out a lot so he takes all the credit," said Llewellyn.

Theregoesthetruth (5/2 favourite) continued her progression with a clear-cut win in the Golden Miller Handicap Hurdle as she registered her second success over this extended two and a half miles.

Trainer Henry Oliver is now hoping the mare can pick up some black type after she came from the rear to beat Themanfrom Minella by four and a half lengths, leading before the second-last flight in the hands of Richard Johnson.

"She seems to be progressing. We'll have a look at a few races and try to get a bit of black type. We'll see what the handicapper does to her first," said Oliver.

David Bass oozed confidence as he delivered Laura Hurley's Catchin Time (9/2) to take the Coalville Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths from the well-backed 11/8 market leader Midnight Mustang.

"He's been dropped a few pounds and he'll better on better ground, so we'll wait a few weeks until it dries up before we run him again," said Hurley, a Warwickshire permit holder.

David Bridgwater's Lord Navits (7/4 favourite) made most of the running under 7lb claimer Jake Hodson to win a moderate contest for the Burton Lazars Novices' Claiming Hurdle by 11 lengths.