Lavender Hill Mob stars with 33-1 Cheltenham surprise

Lavender Hill Mob ran away with the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle for James Owen and Sam Twiston-Davies at Cheltenam.

Owen believed the former Michael Bell charge to be a top-class juvenile hurdle prospect last season, but it never really worked out as hoped.

Beaten when long odds-on on his hurdling debut, he did win at Warwick in January but struggled thereafter.

He showed the engine was still intact when defying a mark of 94 on the level at Newmarket in May and not disgraced when last in action in Listed company, he looked a different proposition back over hurdles.

Twiston-Davies kept him wide throughout looking for the best ground as early leader De Temps En Temps took the inside route but he was beaten half a mile out.

Lavender Hill Mob was left in front and while Harry Skelton briefly looked a threat on Royal Infantry his effort was short lived and Twiston-Davies kicked on again to cause a 33-1 surprise.

Owen said: “He’s a stayer and he would be a two-miler on the Flat and it was all just happening too quickly for him over hurdles last season.

“But stepping up in trip ridden positively like that – that’s how we ride him on the Flat – he enjoyed it.

“He was very well-handicapped and he’ll get a hike for that but he’ll cope with a hike, he’s a big horse.

“I wouldn’t be going shorter with him and on good ground he would get three miles no problem. Your Lanzarote Hurdle, Coral Cup, Pertemps, those are the races we would love to run in.

“Whether he just likes a bit of room we don’t know and getting that in those races could be hard. But we’ll have a go anyway.”

He went on: “He was in the sales and I managed to twist Mr (Tim) Gredley’s arm and I’m glad he’s kept him, I said he would do well over hurdles.

“Tim wants Cheltenham winners and we’ve got him one.”