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Colonel Harry bounced back to winning ways to land the Grade 2 William Hill Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby this afternoon.
The Jamie Snowden-trained chestnut made the perfect start to life over fences at Chepstow in November, a performance that prompted connections towards a tilt at the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown a month later. He kept on well to fill the runner-up spot on that occasion, shaping as though the step up to two miles and three and a half furlongs would be well within his range at Wetherby on Saturday.
Stepping up in trip certainly proved no issue for Colonel Harry as the son of Shirocco battled on strongly to deny Trelawne (13/8), who hung badly right-handed around the bend and forfeited plenty of ground, by one- and three-quarter lengths under 'gorgeous' Gavin Sheehan crossing the line.
Paddy Power cut the winner to 40/1 from 66/1 for the Arkle Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March, with the same firm introducing Jamie Snowden's charge at 40/1 for the Turners Novices' Chase.
Speaking of the 5/4 winning favourite, Sheehan said: "He's done it well, but Trelawne probably made it a bit easier for us,"
"Our lad jumps great; he has the right attitude and he didn't mind stepping up in trip there.
"It's been brilliant of late, there's no hiding that fact – I've had some great success and long may it continue."
Hew Glyn Davies, of owners the GD Partnership, said: "I was delighted with that. Obviously, it was a small field and the second horse is very good, we were worried about him.
"He travelled great, but Gavin said he was ready for him when he opened out on the back straight and he didn't really have to get into him.
"I think at Sandown he pecked at the first fence and lost his position, he was behind the ball the whole of the way. He got going late and, frankly, if it had been another few yards he'd have got there.
"The longer trip really helped, we'd been debating it, or Jamie had, for a while.
"I think the Scilly Isles (at Sandown) will be a possibility, but Cheltenham is a question mark.
"We've had a great year so far with Datsalrightgino winning the Coral Gold Cup too."
On the runner-up Trelawne, trainer Kim Bailey was ruing the fact he left the cheekpieces off.
He said: "We tossed and turned as to whether to put cheekpieces on today, we gave him the benefit of the doubt, but I wish we had,"
"He did the same in his second novice hurdle at Exeter and he's always been quirky, but he's got a serious amount of ability.
"He's a very talented individual, to go so close having run off the racecourse. He's a winner without a penalty but he hasn't picked up the prize money either! It's a very frustrating situation."
