Cheltenham 2005 / news/

Seychellois looks hot
23/11/04
Les Seychellois has already been mentioned in early Cheltenham Festival despatches and the four-year-old did nothing to dampen that enthusiasm with an impressive chasing debut at Warwick.

Trainer Paul Nicholls is now considering the Henry VIII Chase at Sandown on Saturday week for a horse who looks like he can only improve.

He had been in company with market rival Val Du Don until that one made a serious mistake at the third-last in the Highflyer Bloodstock Four Year Old Novices Chase.

Ruby Walsh, however, did not have to go through the gears on the 8-13 favourite to go easily clear and he had eight lengths to spare at the line.

Nicholls said: "He got low at a couple of fences but he was brilliant at the others. He is a horse with a serious engine and he can only improve.

" He is blowing plenty now but that was the idea and now we will look at the Henry VIII Chase at Sandown.

" He is a horse who is still learning. He has not been in as long as some of the others as he was gelded soon after joining us and we gave him plenty of time."

Another with a Festival target is Lady Zephyr, the easy winner of the EBF Mares' Only "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier).

Apart from the final at this series at Newbury, trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies will also look at the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle for the six-year-old. Leading approaching the second-last, Lady Zephyr (11-10) showed the step up in trip held no fears and was eased at the line by Carl Llewellyn.

Twiston-Davies said: "She is a lovely horse and I was surprised to hear people knocking her before the race. She is very good and if she keeps going the right way, the SunAlliance Hurdle would be on the cards. Now she has done that nicely, we can start taking on the boys!"