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‘I think he can go a long way’

Vinndication stretched his unbeaten record to six after gaining the most significant success of his career with victory in the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot.

Having made a winning start over fences at Carlisle, the Kim Bailey-trained five-year-old added to those gains with a slick round of jumping in the Grade Two prize.

Taking control of matters over two out, the 8-13 favourite pulled out more than enough from the back of the last to defeat Jerrysback by a length and a half.

The winner was halved in price to 10-1 by Coral for the RSA Chase, while Paddy Power went 12-1 for the same race.

Bailey said: “He is just a very nice horse and we’ve always thought a lot of him. He doesn’t show much at home, but he doesn’t need to.

“We will try to keep it that way (unbeaten), as it doesn’t happen very often. There is the Scilly Isles at Sandown and that would be a possibility.

“He is a very good jumper and the best possible thing that happened for him was to make a mistake at the first (fence), as it suddenly made him realise that those big black things don’t give in.”

The Gold Cup-winning trainer added: “Today was a test for him and I’m happy to go up another Grade with him. Cheltenham was the aim last season, but he had sore shins and that’s why I stopped.

“Chasing was always going to be his game, as that his why we went straight from a bumper to a hurdle race. I always felt this was going to be a good season for him.

“The RSA will be a possibility. Cheltenham is not the be all and end all for me. At the end of it the long-term future of this horse is important to me, as I think he can go a long way.”