Haiti Couleurs Delights With Newbury Comeback Win

Haiti Couleurs took pleasure in the perfect tune-up for a possible tilt at the Betfair Chase when making a winning reappearance in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Newbury.


Rebecca Curtis' Cheltenham Festival and Irish Grand National hero was dispatched at 17-2 in the hands of Sean Bowen for his return over the smaller sized challenges and his endurance came forward in the closing stages, as the champion jockey outbattled his brother James Bowen aboard runner-up Bill Baxter.


Britain's shortest-priced competitor for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Haiti Couleurs holds an entry for the Coral Gold Cup back at Newbury on November 29, however Curtis is lured to divert to Haydock a week previously with her star chaser.


Curtis told Sky Sports Racing: "I'm not excessively stunned he won as I understood he was actually well and had actually enhanced from in 2015.


"I hoped he would run one of those races where you complete in the first 5, however viewing him go round I knew he was going to win since of the way he was taking a trip and you know he stays.


"He ran difficulties off 135 last year and was beaten, however he's won off 10lb higher here, so it looks like he has improved."


Haiti Couleurs made a winning return at Newbury (David Davies/PA)


One what comes next, she added: "There's advantages and disadvantages to both races, our primary goal was the Coral Gold Cup but it's great to firm here today on the chase track and looking at the projection they are not due too much rain here next week.


"He'll enter into that off top-weight probably and Dan's (Skelton, Protektorat and Grey Dawning) rated higher won't run.


"The Betfair Chase is actually tempting, I know it's just 2 and a half weeks away however he's the kind of horse you can get away with doing that with and he will be fresh on Monday morning.


"I will talk to the owners and decide what they desire to do, however I would be siding that way now. You would hope he might be a Gold Cup horse, but I'm not going to push him down that road if he's not to that level.


"I enjoy the method he has improved and you have seen how tough he is and he remains so well. He can go a great gallop and those are all the things you need for a Gold Cup, so we will see, it's exciting."


Haiti Couleurs may not be returning to Newbury on 'Hennessy day' but one who could is Harry Derham's Jackie Hobbs after making a winning obstacles debut in the CSP Mares' Hurdle as the 13-8 favourite.


A helpful bumper performer last term, she was handed a quote of 20-1 by Paddy Power for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but in the immediate she could object to the Listed Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" Mares' Novices' Hurdle.


Derham stated: "She was good and I thought it was quite a deep race. The important things I was most happy about was how well she jumped and she remains two miles well, so Paul (O'Brien) wished to make lots of usage of her.


"He said she had a genuine great blow from the back of 3 out, so you wish to think she would enhance plenty and she's a really great mare and one to eagerly anticipate.


"Returning to Newbury is a guaranteed option as long as she comes out of this all best and is in great form - we would certainly consider it.


"It would be good to wind up in a race like the Jane Seymour at Sandown later in the year, but it's good to overcome the very first obstacle today and it will be nice making plans with her from here."


Anthony Honeyball's Lord Baddesley (6-4) came home in magnificent isolation to win the Daily Racing Boosts At BetVictor Handicap Chase, while the concluding British Horse Society Open National Hunt Flat Race went the way of Chris Gordon's 13-8 preferred Bass Hunter.