Sweet David (noseband)© Photo Healy Racing
French raider Sweet David was an emphatic winner of what was a dramatic renewal of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
Gabriel Leenders’ five-year-old, who was ridden by Felix de Giles, was making his first start in Britain but is an experienced contender of cross-country races on home turf.
Placed in a string of the specialist events at various French tracks, he was a 5-1 chance to make a success of things bringing his domestic form to British shores.
He travelled well and was ridden patiently throughout by De Giles, but gave connections a moment of real worry on the turn for home as he raced in mid-division.
Seamus Mullins’ Tommie Beau, who had been running a competitive race, appeared to misjudge the opening in the rail and careered off the track as Sweet David thought momentarily about following him.
De Giles managed to keep him on course, however, and while he did collide with a piece of railing shortly afterwards, he powered up the hill to triumph by six and a half lengths from Mister Coffey with Back On The Lash in third.
Leenders – who landed the Cleeve Hurdle in 2023 with Gold Tweet – said: “We can dream now. Yesterday we came into Cheltenham with the owners and had a look around. It was nice and a good experience for everybody.
“I think it is a good idea the cross country (at the Cheltenham Festival) is now a handicap because we don’t have a Grade One horse but in a handicap we have a chance.
“In March usually we wouldn’t have a chance because Gordon (Elliott) would be running his horse who is a Grade One horse.
“Today was the objective, he had to come ready for the English and Irish horses. Other horses might not have been ready, today might not have been their objective but mine was today.
“I don’t know the level he will need to be at in March, but he’s only a young horses so he is improving. He will probably have a race on the Flat before March.
“Now we are in a dream, after we will think.”
Micheal Nolan, the rider aboard Tommie Beau, received a 12-day suspension for taking the wrong course, which forced him to pull up his mount.
