Christie eyes bright future for Vaucelet

David Christie's Vaucelet made it four on the bounce in the INHSC Supporting Point-To-Points Hunters Steeplechase in Fairyhouse.

The 11/10 favourite raced in second behind Mighty Stowaway and passed him after jumping the penultimate fence.

He increased his lead coming to the last but steadied into it before being driven out by Barry O'Neill to prevail by five lengths.

Snugsborough Benny got up for second in this four-runner race.

Christie said:- “That was lovely because he's such an immature horse in his head.

“Even though he won an Open the first day it was a nothing race and the last half lap he was just on his own cantering, so it was no preparation for that up against a hardened horse.

“He did it well and Barry said he was always travelling easy but it's when he has to give him a shove he still doesn't know to do it straight away yet.

“When he hits the front, it's still like 'what am I doing here?'. That will all come, he's only six but has the right engine and jumps really well.

“He could be the proper horse for me to go to Cheltenham with for the Foxhunters.

“He could go to Down Royal but I'm not going to run him on really deep winter ground.

“He's a beautiful mover, he loves soft ground but I wouldn't risk him on bottomless deep ground because I have the whole spring to train him for.”

Vaucelet began his winning run in a maiden hunters chase at Down Royal in May before landing the champion novices' hunters chase in Stratford the same month. He was last seen hacking up in a point-to-point at Portrush in October.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson