Impose Toi grabs the glory in Long Distance thriller

Impose Toi announced himself as a possible Stayers’ Hurdle contender when coming out on top in a thrilling battle with Strong Leader at Newbury.

There were several still in with chances at the third-last flight in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle, with Ahoy Senor setting a sedate pace and the likes of Doddiethegreat and Hewick tracking him.

It soon boiled down to the two market leaders though, with Sean Bowen kicking for home on Strong Leader, who had won the race last year.

Despite a slight mistake at the last, Impose Toi (6-5 favourite) found plenty for Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson’s charge is now an 8-1 chance with Coral for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Henderson said: “He didn’t jump as well as he can do there and we tried him over fences but it wasn’t for him, so here we are back over hurdles.

“He’s a tough little devil and he went Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown last spring and finished placed in all of them, so he deserved a good race. They were all over two and a half miles but he’s getting three now and we’re well out of handicap company so we’ll have to continue the path we’re on.”

On future assignments, Henderson added: “The Long Walk comes quite quickly and you could be thinking Cleeve Hurdle on Trials day (at Cheltenham), but this fella is a gutsy devil who can deal with quick turnarounds. Like I’ve said he did Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown in the spring so he can do it.

“You have to think about the Stayers’ Hurdle and it’s a division which chops and changes every season.

“I don’t doubt there are some very good horses and most of them may be in Ireland at the moment and I guess that was the best of the Anglo team – Strong Leader is a good yardstick. We’re at the top of the league of the home defenders anyway.”

Strong Leader was beaten half a length in defence of his title and trainer Olly Murphy could now look to Ireland over the Christmas period for compensation.

Murphy said: “I would like to take the winner on again off levels but he was much sharper for the cheekpieces and I thought he jumped well on the whole. I’m disappointed to get beat but I’m proud of his effort and it was a very good run.

“With a 6lb penalty it was a great run, just a little frustrating and we do need to go left-handed with him. He doesn’t really like Cheltenham but we could have a chat with the owners about Ireland.

“It is something I would like to have a look at otherwise you could be looking at a very soft Rendlesham at Haydock in the new year. I can’t see us going back to Ascot for the Long Walk unless we realised there were no other options.

“I’m disappointed to get beat but I have to be very proud of him.”