Haiti Couleurs Delights With Newbury Comeback Win

Haiti Couleurs took pleasure in the best tune-up for a potential 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 sent at 17-2 in the hands of Sean Bowen for his return over the smaller sized challenges and his endurance came to the fore in the closing stages, as the champion jockey outbattled his brother James Bowen aboard runner-up Bill Baxter.


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


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


"I hoped he would run one of those races where you finish in the very first 5, however enjoying him go round I understood he was going to win because of the method he was travelling and you know he remains.


"He ran difficulties off 135 in 2015 and was beaten, but he's won off 10lb higher here, so it looks like he has enhanced."


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


One what comes next, she included: "There's pros and cons to both races, our main objective was the Coral Gold Cup but it's great to firm here today on the chase track and taking a look at the projection they are not due excessive rain here next week.


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


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


"I will chat to the owners and decide what they desire to do, however I would be siding that method 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 way he has actually improved and you have seen how hard he is and he remains so well. He can go a great gallop and those are all the important things you require for a Gold Cup, so we will see, it's amazing."


Haiti Couleurs might not be returning to Newbury on 'Hennessy day' however one who might is Harry Derham's Jackie Hobbs after making a winning difficulties launching in the CSP Mares' Novices' Hurdle as the 13-8 favourite.


A beneficial bumper entertainer 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 excellent and I believed it was quite a deep race. The thing I was most delighted about was how well she leapt and she remains 2 miles well, so Paul (O'Brien) wished to make a lot of use of her.


"He said she had a genuine great blow from the back of three out, so you want to believe she would enhance plenty and she's a very great mare and one to eagerly anticipate.


"Returning to Newbury is a guaranteed alternative as long as she comes out of this all right and remains in good form - we would absolutely consider it.


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


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