Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle
Grade 2, Haydock Park 14:05 £30,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 144y, Class 1
Saturday 19th January 2019

1 Mister Fisher EvensF
2 Bright Forecast 2/1
3 Muratello 8/1
6 ran Distances: 2½l, 3l, 3½l
Time: 3m 47.00s (slow by 7.00s)

Mister Fisher advertises Supreme claims with success at Haydock

Mister Fisher
© Racehorse Photos

Trainer Nicky Henderson nominated this Grade Two prize as a likely target for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Angels Breath last weekend, but a change of heart prompted a reshuffle during the week – and Mister Fisher instead made the journey to Merseyside.

Having been narrowly denied on his hurdling debut at Newbury, the five-year-old opened his account in some style at Kempton on Boxing Day, and he was the even-money favourite to follow up in a race Henderson had won on three previous occasions.

The well-supported Bright Forecast made much of the running – and despite almost running out with a circuit still to run, he remained in the lead rounding the turn for home.

However, Mister Fisher was travelling ominously well in his slipstream under a confident-looking James Bowen – and he ultimately won the argument comfortably by two and a half lengths.

Speaking from Ascot, Henderson said: “It was tough. I don’t know what the ground was like – but it looked like it was a bit messy, and that blunted him a little bit, but he got the job done well enough.

“The second is obviously quite a decent horse, so I was pleased with the result, and we will take it from there. I don’t know where we go. He has had three runs over hurdles now, so he doesn’t desperately need a run .

“It just looked as if he didn’t have the gear today on that ground that he did at Kempton on good ground. The Supreme is not going to come up on fast ground, and I don’t think he wants that – he just wants good ground.

“I was originally going to run Angels Breath, but we had to swap them around, so I hadn’t really prepared him for today.”

Bowen said: “I’m very pleased. He’s got a lot of ability, and the amount he’s improved since I rode him at Newbury is unbelievable.

“He’s got an incredible engine. He’s a big, laid-back horse – and he was just dossing when he got to the front.

“That was his best ever run, and hopefully he’ll improve again.”

Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£30,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 144y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places