James Reveley © Photo Healy Racing
French raider Jet Blue stayed on strongly to run out a convincing winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Market leader Skyjack Hijack set out to make all in his bid for a seventh straight success but this step up to Grade Two company found him out and Jet Blue (9-2) breezed past in the home straight under James Reveley.
Despite making a bit of a mess of the final hurdle, the five-year-old kicked again up the hill to score by six and a half lengths from Western Knight.
Jet Blue had previously claimed three bumper victories and one success over timber for Hugo Merienne but was having his first outing for David Cottin at Prestbury Park.
Winning owner Professor Caroline Tisdall, celebrating her birthday, said: “I want to cry! Before the race he looked very young and small compared to our big, English chasing types, but he’s a tough little horse.
“This is a new buy – this was his first race for me. My other horses are with David Pipe and he said why don’t you have horses in France and earn some money, because I wasn’t earning money in England.
“The horses in France earn so much that they actually support other horses in England.”
Reveley said: “We went a strong gallop and he was a bit sticky early doors, but as the race went on I was more positive on him and I felt like the winner a long way out.
“I didn’t want to go too far ahead and I knew my horse would be better once he was more in the race and he proved me right.
“For a French horse he’s got an English style in him because he’s a strong stayer and he’s tough.
“He maybe lacks a little gear for the French races as they’re over a shorter distance and I think he’s an out-and-out three miler.”
France-based Yorkshireman Reveley was riding just his second Cheltenham winner, with his first having come way back on New Year’s Day in 2009 aboard Rambling Minster, trained by his father, Keith.
The jockey added: “Funnily enough, the trainer asked me when my last winner here was and I said I think it was when I was still a claimer!”
