Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) Grade 2, Cheltenham 15:00 £30,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 110y, Class 1
Saturday 24th January 2015

1 Ordo Ab Chao 16/1
2 Value At Risk 11/10F
3 Vago Collonges 8/1
9 ran Distances: ¾l, ¾l, 1l
TIME 5m 13.00s (slow by 31.00s)

Ordo Ab Chao hods on to win the Neptune Trial for Alan King and Wayne Hutchinson

Ordo Ab Chao
© Racehorse Photos

Six horses held a live chance approaching the final flight, with Vago Collonges the first to state his intentions.

The six-year-old was, however, a little scruffy over the obstacle, which gave the initiative to the Alan King-trained Ordo Ab Chao (16-1).

Runner-up Value At Risk fought back when seemingly beaten to close the deficit to three-quarters of a length at the line as the 11-10 favourite.

King said: "He won his first two novices impressively then he bombed out at Sandown - he was travelling great to two out then stopped dead.

"We couldn't put our finger on what went wrong that day, but he's come back and did a serious gallop last week. That told us he was back to his best.

"I always thought he was one of our best novices.

"He'll have entries in both the two-mile-five and three-mile novice races at the Festival."

Value At Risk
© Racehorse Photos

Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£30,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 110y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft

	Dist	Horse	Jockey /Weight	Trainer	Age
1st		Ordo Ab Chao (IRE) 16/1	W Hutchinson 11-9	A King	6
2nd	¾	Value At Risk 11/10f	Harry Skelton 11-9	D Skelton	6
3rd	¾	Vago Collonges (FR) 8/1	S Twiston-Davies 11-9	P F Nicholls	6
4th	1	Robinsfirth (IRE) 7/1	D A Jacob 11-9	C L Tizzard	6
5th	5	Some Buckle (IRE) 25/1	P J Brennan 11-5	T R George	6
6th	14	Present View 6/1	Brendan Powell 11-5	Jamie Snowden	7
7th	39	Thistlecrack 25/1	Mr M Legg 11-9	C L Tizzard	7
8th	¾	Stilletto (IRE) 10/1	T J O'Brien 11-9	P J Hobbs	6
F		Native River (IRE) 16/1	T Scudamore 11-12	C L Tizzard	5