Sam Twiston-Davies rode East India Dock© Photo Healy Racing
East India Dock made the lightest possible work of the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham when sauntering to a straightforward victory.
The James Owen-trained three-year-old was formerly campaigned on the Flat for owner-breeders the Gredley family and made a winning hurdles debut at Wincanton last time out.
Well-backed as the 4-5 favourite stepping up to Grade Two level, victory never looked in any doubt.
In a field of 10 nothing could go with him when Sam Twiston-Davies kicked for home and he cantered across the line 18 lengths ahead of Olly Murphy’s Static.
As a result, Coral made East India Dock their 8-1 favourite from 25-1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Owen – who took this race 12 months ago with the also-impressive Burdett Road – said: “He’s a lovely horse and he took to it well at Wincanton. I knew the staying track would suit as all he does is stay this horse, but he’s got a lot of class so he’s really exciting.
“I’ve no plan as where to go next but all roads lead to the Triumph, he might just have the one more run before then.
“It’s amazing how the Gredley family are keeping these horses in training as they are very valuable in the overseas market.
“They want winners at Cheltenham, we did it last year with Burdett Road so now we just need to get this lad to the Festival now and hopefully we can have a bit more success.
“We’ve got quite a few this year so hopefully it gives us a few cracks at it.”
Owen went on: “He just relaxes more than Burdett Road did at this stage last year and I think the New course will suit this horse better.
“He’s run twice over hurdles now and he hasn’t made a mistake so he’ll probably have one more run and go straight to the Triumph Hurdle, that’s how high I hold this horse.”
He added: “We’ve got another horse at home who hasn’t run over hurdles yet who was slightly higher-rated than this fella on the Flat we really like called Lavender Hill Mob. He’ll be running in early December. He schools well too and likes soft ground whereas this fella likes better ground.
“This horse is just more straightforward than Burdett was, we know he’s going to stay, we can ride him how we want to and he’s taken to it really well whereas it took Burdett time to brush his jumping up. Burdett is a better horse than him and we’ll see tomorrow (Greatwood Hurdle) how much better.”
