Ambiente Friendly up and running over hurdles

James Owen has his eye on the County Hurdle with Ambiente Friendly after the 2024 Derby runner-up opened his account over hurdles at Huntingdon.

The Gredley family-owned four-year-old found only City Of Troy too good at Epsom last season before going on to also finish third in the Irish Derby, but has now turned his attentions to obstacles, debuting at Cheltenham last month.

Clearly benefiting for that Prestbury Park experience, the 4-5 favourite cut a more relaxed figure in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies and showed tremendous resolve to fight back when headed by Ben Pauling’s Wondering Why, shading a half-length verdict.

Owen said: “It’s a relief. He’s been one of my biggest challenges. He’s a horse with an extreme amount of ability, with two massive runs in Derbys, but has gone a bit off the rails since then.

“It’s been small steps on the way back and it’s just nice to see him progress from that first Cheltenham run over hurdles, settle much better today and I just loved the way he battled. Usually Flat horses can give up when headed, but he fought back and stayed well.

“He learned a lot at Cheltenham, we’re still a long way off, but it’s another small step and he’s enjoying this now. I was worried a bit coming here in soft ground, but it was nice to see today.

“We’ve always thought he is a horse that stays and to be placed in two Derbys you have to stay well, it’s just teaching him now to run at 15 seconds a furlong rather than 12 seconds a furlong, but he’s starting to do it.”

Ambiente Friendly was shortened to 66-1 from 100s for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but he is more likely to plot a handicap course in time over obstacles before the option of switching back to the Flat.

Owen added: “He’ll get another couple of days practice now and the County Hurdle will be the right race for him at Cheltenham – a big field where they couldn’t go quick enough for him early on and he will stay well up the hill.

“He’s got the class if he puts it all together. If we can get his form to rise over hurdles we will come back on the Flat, he’s still a young horse.”

Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls’ winning point-to-point recruit Draco Malfoy cast a spell on his rivals to make a winning hurdles debut in the Sky Bet Club Maiden Hurdle.

The well-backed evens favourite, who carries the colours of Sir Francis Brooke and Sir Richard Pilkington synonymous with the now retired Chianti Classico, had twice appeared here in bumpers and made it third time lucky at the track with a smart three-and-a-quarter success.

Bailey said: “It was his first time over hurdles and it was a nice performance. He’s not the quickest, but he ran well in his bumpers and he’s going to be one who progresses as he gets older.

“I don’t know if he will be another Chianti Classico as he was a bit unique, but he’s in the same ownership and they bought him after Chianti Classico had won at Cheltenham.

“He’s taken a while to come to hand this season and he should have run ages ago, but his bloods have been wrong and everything else. We’ve just had to be patient and wait with him, but I hope he will prove worth waiting for.

“We’ll carry a penalty somewhere next and he’s got three miles written all over him.”

Jonjo and AJ O’Neill were able to celebrate their first winner since having to close the yard for three weeks when We’re Red And Blue (11-2) obliged in the Sky Bet Handicap Hurdle.

However, the Jackdaws team were denied a double in the following Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap Chase where Sarah-Jayne Davies’ Zacony Rebel edged out Trapista.