Nutz too tough to crack in Tolworth Hurdle

Elixir De Nutz made all the running with a gutsy performance to land the Grade One Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

The Colin Tizzard-trained five-year-old – wearing the familiar yellow and black colours of owner Terry Warner – maintained a relentless gallop to see off his four rivals in the hands of Tom O’Brien.

The 3/1 chance was foot-perfect at his hurdles and found plenty when tackled by Grand Sancy in the closing stages to score by half a length.

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The Nicky Henderson-trained 6/5 favourite Rathhill made an early mistake and was never really travelling over the two-mile trip which looked a little sharp.

Elixir De Nutz was completing a hat-trick following two wins at Cheltenham and 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 [Warner] 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 winner was cut to 14/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by GentingBet, two points higher than sponsors Sky Bet.

Grand Sancy’s stablemate, Southfield Stone, was third, and Harry Derham, assistant to Paul Nicholls, said of the Ditcheat pair: “I’m delighted with both horses and I would say both have run career bests.

“Both will have a little break now then we will look at something in the spring. I’m sure in time both will end up over further. Grand Sancy might be one for something like the boys’ race (Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle at Cheltenham).

“Southfield Stone has run a massive race, a massive step up on what he has done before.”

Henderson said of the beaten market leader: “He was just a bit naive about the whole thing. He wasn’t very happy on the ground, but he was just playing around in the air. He didn’t have the experience for it.

“He has had one hurdle race in his life. We thought he did it well at Newbury, but it is one thing beating a whole load of maidens. Passing the stands the first time, Barry (Geraghty) said he was all up in the air and jumping too big.

“He has got a lot of learning to do.”

Another Cheltenham Festival market mover was Laurina, who was cut to 4/1 second-favourite for the Champion Hurdle by GentingBet, following her 48-length verdict over one rival on her return to action at Sandown.

Ruby Walsh had an easy time of it on the winner, after Sensulano tired when trying to close the gap from half-way.

The Willie Mullins-trained horse was making her first appearance since landing a Grade One event at Fairyhouse in April, which came after success in the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.

She took her 100 per cent record over hurdles to five from five and Mullins said: “Ruby said she was very good. Every time he took a pull she wanted to go faster and faster, and he said he never really got going.

“Going to Cheltenham is the plan. We’ll see whether we get another race into her in between. It’s not important, I think, giving her another run.

“Ruby said she didn’t take a blow there. It was an exercise for her. He was very pleased with her.

“Listening to Ruby, I’d say he’d ride the mare at Cheltenham at this stage. He didn’t ride her last time, so he didn’t know if she has improved or not. I would have said she has improved, but that competition didn’t tell us enough.

“A winner is a winner and I’m very happy with that. It was her first run back and the ground up the straight was very testing. I saw the four-year-olds, some fit four-year-olds, and they were out on their feet.

“Obviously we would have liked more competition, but winning races is what it is all about. We will possibly get another run into her for more practice, but I’m happy.

“She will get entered for that (Irish Champion), but whether that comes too soon, I don’t know – we will see. We will see how she comes out of it.

“At this stage of her career she must be as good if not better than any of them (Annie Power and Quevega), as she is unbeaten.”