Act Of Innocence hugely impressive in Sidney Banks win

Act Of Innocence was a classy winner of the Don Lockwood Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.

Sent off the 8-11 favourite, Nico de Boinville was happy to take a lead off Dan Skelton’s Sinnatra while also charting a fairly wide path throughout.

That meant he came off the home bend three deep with Glance At Midnight in between the two main protagonists, but while his rivals began starting to toil Nicky Henderson’s charge was just hitting top gear.

De Boinville barely had to move as Act Of Innocence breezed clear under hands and heels to beat Glance At Midnight by three-and-three-quarter lengths, with Sinnatra much further behind the winner than he had been when they met earlier in the season at Newbury.

Coral cut Act Of Innocence to 10-1 from 16s for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham while Paddy Power went 10s from 12s.

Henderson said: “It looked fairly uncomplicated to me, it looked smooth and he jumped great. He cruised and always seemed to have it under control, you couldn’t fault it.

“I was surprised by how easy he has come away from them, it was a competitive field and no walkover. It all just looked remarkably straightforward but then he is a very straightforward horse.

“I’ve been extremely lucky and inherited these horses from Paul and he’s a beautiful horse. He’s going to be some chaser in a year’s time and you half feel like putting him away but I’m not sure I will be able to. He’s very talented and he’s gorgeous

“We knew going into his last race at Newbury it would be a tough task giving weight away to the winner and he did nothing wrong. It was a good experience and upping the trip here hasn’t necessarily helped him, but he’s got it well.”

It was back-to-back victories for Henderson who was winning the feature for the fourth time in total.

Shishkin is perhaps the best Seven Barrows alumni to land this prize before landing the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2020, but for Act Of Innocence it will be a longer assignment at Prestbury Park in March, with another Gordon and Su Hall-owned stablemate, Old Park Star, slated for the Festival curtain raiser.

“You would have to say the path is mapped out now, Old Park Star is ready to start to get serious again next week and this was to see if Act Of Innocence could be the horse for the longer races,” added Henderson.

“In the very first race I thought this would be the quicker horse but he’s flip-flopped with Old Park Star .who seems to have plenty of pace and two miles round Haydock was no problem for him.

“I know this was not the toughest stamina test but it’s just shown he will stay. He’s always looked a very nice horse and he’s come to us ready made and you just can’t fault him – he just looks the part and has a lot of class.”