Lucinda Russell sending Newbury winner Ahoy Senor to Wetherby

She was speaking after the precocious horse – a Grade One winner over hurdles at Aintree last April – had no answers for the highly-regarded Bravemansgame in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

An emphatic winner at Newbury on his last start, Ahoy Senor’s jumping wasn’t foot perfect under jockey Derek Fox – and Kempton’s right-hand configuration did not appear to help the Northern raider.

Russell is now setting her sights on Wetherby’s Towton Novices’ Chase. “I’m delighted with him, he’s a novice and his jumping wasn’t great, but he ran to a very good level,” said the trainer whose One For Arthur won the 2017 National under Fox.

“Our horse lacks a little bit of maturity and for some experience, but having said that he still ran a very nice race and he probably ran to the same standard as when winning the Sefton at Aintree.

“Derek (Fox) got off and said he’s immense, don’t be disappointed and that he’s the best horse he’s ever ridden. As Scu (Peter Scudamore, partner and assistant) mentioned, the track didn’t really suit him, but we had to take on Bravemansgame at some point and the exciting thing is there is plenty of improvement to come from Ahoy Senor.”

Russell confirmed that a trip to West Yorkshire on February 5 could be the next port of call for the son of Dylan Thomas. She said: “The Towton would be the right race for him, it gives him six weeks after Kempton and six-ish weeks before we have to decide about where to go after that (Cheltenham or Aintree).”

Sunday’s result was almost an exact reversal of the outcome when Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame met over hurdles at Aintree in the spring. “When you stand back from it, it’s great that these are the two top novice chasers in the UK and it’s brilliant for us that one of them is ours,” added Russell.

“I got quite a historical feeling coming back from Kempton, this was an exciting race with two really good horses and you don’t mind being beaten by a really good horse, that’s not a problem. No doubt we’ll renew our rivalry again in the future and may the best man win.”

Bravemansgame came to prominence when winning the MansionBet Challow Novices’ Hurdle last year for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden, with the same combination taking yesterday’s renewal – the final Grade One of 2021 – with exciting prospect Stage Star.

In the supporting Mandarin Chase, Harry Bannister – whose family own the Coniston Hall Hotel in the Yorkshire Dales – was seen at his very strongest as the Richard Bandey-trained Saint Palais prevailed for owner Tim Syder.

Meanwhile, Zambella was a very impressive winner of the Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares’ Chase at Doncaster for the in-form Sam and Nigel Twiston-Davies team, with the Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham appearing to be the obvious spring target. This was their second notable win in Yorkshire this Christmas after Good Boy Bobby won Wetherby’s Rowland Meyrick Chase on Boxing Day.

The feature race on Town Moor also marked Roderick Duncan’s final meeting as Doncaster’s clerk of the course.

Elsewhere, the Jamie Hamilton-ridden Sounds Russian provided Malton trainer Ruth Jefferson with a welcome winner at Kelso.

And Guiseley trainer Sam England and her husband Jonny have high hopes for Chef D’Oeuvre in today’s Haydock Park feature Last Fling Chase following a recent third place finish at Wetherby Racecourse.