Betfair Price Rush Hurdle
Haydock Park 13:50 £100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 2
Saturday 22nd November 2014

1 The New One 1/3F
2 Zamdy Man 9/1
3 Melodic Rendezvous 9/2
NR: Aurore D'Estruval (FR)
5 ran Distances: 2¾l, 5l, 4½l
TIME 3m 57.30s

The New One wins the Betfair Price Rush Hurdle very easily. Just one crack of the whip applied by Sam Twiston-Davies, despite the sticky ground

The New One
© Racehorse Photos

The New One cemented his position as a strong Champion Hurdle contender with a crisp performance in the inaugural running of the two mile hurdle race.

An unlucky third in the Festival showpiece last season, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained six-year-old maintained his unbeaten start to the new campaign by easily taking this valuable prize.

Sam Twiston-Davies settled him in second as Zamdy Man cut out most of the running, and when the race sparked into life approaching the final flight, the 1-3 favourite moved up and emphatically brushed aside the pacesetter to score by two and three-quarter lengths without ever being asked a serious question.

The jockey said: "It was very good. He probably wouldn't want the ground as soft as it is, but his jumping was very good. You couldn't get a much bigger thrill than with a horse like this. Hopefully he didn't have too hard a race. A bit better ground, the world's his oyster."

Winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies added: "That was all he could do, to win pretty much on the bridle like that. It's hard to watch when they are as short in the betting as that, it's more a relief than anything.

"You've got to admire him, he jumped super. Everything went right and now the next stop it's Cheltenham (for the International Hurdle). He'll be entered for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, too, but he'd only run there if he wins as easy as today.

"He's still only a six-year-old, so his best years are ahead of him. He was still as big as a bull today - he takes a lot of work at home to get him fit. Bring on the others now."

Zamdy Man
© Racehorse Photos

Liam Treadwell, rider of Zamdy Man, was thrilled with his effort.

He said: "You'd have to be delighted with that, he felt like he had improved for his break. We went an end-to-end gallop and I'd imagine stepping him up in trip with the same tactics might suit, we were just done for a turn of foot. That's a decision for Venetia (Williams, trainer) and the owners, but I was delighted."

Betfair Price Rush - Best Odds Guaranteed

Betfair Price Rush Hurdle
£100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m, Class 2
5 ran
Going: Soft