Elixir De Nutz fuels Terry Warner's dream with gutsy win in Tolworth Hurdle
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Watch a full replay of Elixir De Nutz's victory in the Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown and watch Colin Tizzard's interview with Nick Luck.
Owner Terry Warner is dreaming of more success at the Cheltenham Festival in March after Elixir De Nutz claimed the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
Having seen his yellow and black silks carried to glory at the blue riband meeting by the likes of Rooster Booster and Detroit City in years gone by, Warner hopes the Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old can achieve something similar.
Sent off at 3-1, the grey held on by half a length from Grand Sancy in the Grade One prize, and was cut from 16-1 into 12-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle by race sponsors Sky Bet.
Warner said: "He will be better on better ground, but judging by that he seems to go on any ground. He just keeps improving. The form of his last Cheltenham win has been franked with Jarveys Plate winning on New Year's Day.
"He jumps so well and is quick through the air. He will have a break now and he will not run again before Cheltenham. He is a very exciting horse to own."
Elixir De Nutz ground out a game all-the-way success in the hands of Tom O’Brien. He found plenty when tackled by Grand Sancy in the closing stages to score by half a length.
Trainer Colin Tizzard said: "He has toughed that out again today. Going from the front like that, you have got to be tough. He jumps his hurdles and is away from them so fast. If we held him up I don't know whether he could do that.
"That is the beauty of him - the way he crosses a hurdle he takes a length out of them every time. If he folded today in second no one would blame him, but he is a tough old boy and has had a hard race today.
"Terry said when he sent him to me he is the best horse he has had for a long time. He has surprised us as he is not that brilliant at home. We've had him for four runs, three wins and one second, and he is just a very nice horse.
"I wouldn't think there is any chance of him running between now and Cheltenham, as he has had a tough old race today. He has had four runs already this season and it would be nice to save him for the three festivals later on."
The disappointment of the race was the Nicky Henderson-trained 6-5 favourite Rathhill, who made a mistake early on and was struggling from some way out.
Elixir De Nutz was completing a hat-trick following two wins at Cheltenham and was cut to 14-1 from 20-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Betfair and Paddy Power.
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