All roads lead to the Cheltenham Festival for Wendigo following a confidence boosting victory at Wetherby.
A dual bumper winner before breaking his duck over hurdles at Ludlow in November, the six-year-old was last seen running an excellent race in defeat when filling the runner-up spot behind The New Lion in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.
On the strength of that form, Jamie Snowden’s charge was a prohibitively priced 1-11 favourite to get back on the winning trail in West Yorkshire – and those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns for the duration of the wetherbyracing.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle.
Sent straight to the lead by Gavin Sheehan, Wendigo had most of his rivals in trouble turning for home and he readily extended clear in the straight, with seven and a half lengths the winning margin.
“It’s always a relief when you’re a 1-11 shot or whatever he was. We didn’t learn a great deal today, but he’s a beautiful horse and it’s job done,” said Snowden.
“He had a hard race in the Challow, so it was a case of trying to get his confidence off the back of what was hopefully going to be an easy win on the way to Cheltenham.”
Snowden will now prepare the Great Pretender gelding for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, for which he is a 20-1 shot with bet365.
“From now on, he won’t have many confidence boosting easier races than this, so it was about building his confidence ready for the big day in March,” the trainer added.
“The step up to three miles and a fast-run race will suit him. He’ll be better suited coming from the off the pace.”