Ballygrifincottage made an excellent start to his career over fences with a thoroughly impressive display in the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Chase at Haydock.
A multiple winner in the Irish point-to-point field, the seven-year-old was placed at Grade Two level over hurdles last season and rounded off his campaign by finishing fourth in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Dan Skelton's charge faced only two rivals on his reappearance and chasing bow, but his task was far from straightforward, with Colin Parker Memorial Chase winner Beauport and the 143-rated Quel Destin also lining up for an intriguing affair.
Ballygrifincottage and Beauport went at it in the jumping stakes heading down the back straight and it was the Skelton runner who was more fluent, carrying him into a clear leading rounding the home turn.
Beauport, conceding 8lb to his two rivals, did his best to bridge the gap – but Ballygrifincottage kept up the gallop and winged the final fence to seal an 11-length victory.
"That was very pleasing, obviously from last year we knew that he was a pretty high level novice hurdler and he ran really well at the Festival in the Albert Barlett," said Skelton.
"We've been waiting for some ground and I thought that trip was the minimum for him (two miles and five furlongs). We probably could have started over a bit shorter on really soft ground if we had to – but that's only after I've witnessed that – so I was happy to start here. "
Paddy Power cut Ballygrifincottage to 12-1 from 33-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March, while he is 10-1 from 25s with the same firm for the National Hunt Chase.
Skelton warned his Festival participation would be ground dependent, however.
He added: "He will go to the Hampton Court at Warwick next and we'll see how much rain is in the forecast for Cheltenham.
"I want to go (to the Festival) but if it wasn't soft enough I wouldn't and we may also look at something like the Towton Novices' Chase (at Wetherby) and Aintree too. I think down the line he's a Welsh Grand National type of horse.
"To be fair to the runner-up he had to give us 8lb and I think when we look back on today's result in months to come you'd say that was quite a difficult task – 8lb is quite a lot in soft ground."
