Champagne Classic makes a pleasing start to the season Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy completed quick doubles when former Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Champagne Classic (1/1 fav) took the Winter Festival November 30th & December 1st Beginners Chase over 2m 5f. He jumped soundly and disputed the lead travelling well entering the home straight with two to jump. His task was eased when early leader Cap York fell at that second last obstacle, and then pursuing stablemate Flawless Escape came down at the last. The winner was pushed out from the last to win by a diminishing, but snug enough, length and a quarter from the running-on Captain CJ (14/1). “Jack was very impressed with him and said he jumped brilliant. He said he'd come on from it and could even go further,” said winning trainer Gordon Elliott. “He still qualified for the likes of the four-mile chase at Cheltenham and they will be the races he'll be going for. “Flawless Escape galloped off okay. He was going to win well anyway. “Obviously he could go for the Drinmore but we'll mind him anyway. Obviously he's had his few injuries and he might even go straight for that. “He didn't do anything wrong last year. The plan was to go to the four-mile chase and he pulled a muscle, and we just couldn't get there, so we just decided to pull the plug on him for the year.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
