Joyeuse soared to victory at Newbury to keep the William Hill Hurdle trophy in the yard of Nicky Henderson.
The grey is from the family of Epatante and like that mare is owned by JP McManus, for whom Henderson and Nico de Boinville combined to win this race last season with Iberico Lord.
That horse was part of the line-up once again but De Boinville opted to ride Joyeuse and she went off a 9-2 chance under a favourable weight.
She thrived in a fast-paced race on soft ground, bursting clear in the final stages and crossing the line at a canter when eight lengths ahead of Sam Thomas’ Lump Sum.
Joyeuse was cut to 8-1 by bookmakers for the County Hurdle but the mare is not currently qualified to run in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival.
“She’s good and she looked really good there, she travelled well, jumped well and did everything right,” said Henderson.
“She’s bolted up really and you have to say she was in the perfect position the whole way. It was just perfection and everywhere you looked it all seemed very straightforward.
“The step back in trip has suited her well and this was a true-run two miles and I think a bit of cut in the ground has helped as well.
“She can’t go to a Cheltenham Festival handicap as she needs another run to get in and I’m hardly going to run her again between now and Cheltenham. She’s only had four runs over hurdles and she needs another to run in a handicap.
“It’s caused a dilemma but it’s a good problem.”
Henderson won the race for a seventh time and the trainer was delighted to once again claim the richly-endowed prize at his local track.
He added: “It’s a great race and a local race and one has followed it for all those years. It’s changed names a few times but well done to William Hill for coming in and sponsoring it – it means a lot to everybody.
“She’s a good mare and all my winners have been good and come here under different guises. She was pretty inexperienced but she was good. That’s only the fourth hurdle race of her life.”
De Boinville was impressed with Joyeuse but described as “madness” the fact Joyeuse could not go to a Cheltenham handicap at present.
He said: “She went through the race really easy and jumped great. It was very straightforward.
“It’s madness she can’t go to Cheltenham. I’d say it’s pretty much bonkers that you can win a handicap like that but can’t run at Cheltenham, there’s more money here than Cheltenham.”
Master Chewy springs minor Game Spirit surprise
Master Chewy was not for beating when rewarding the patience of his connections with success in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
The eight-year-old is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and was ridden by his son Sam as an 11-1 shot for the Grade Two assignment that had been an intended target for Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten Sir Gino.
The latter horse was a non-runner and the complexion of the race therefore changed, something Master Chewy took full advantage of when prevailing for the first time since 2023 with a length-and-a-quarter victory over Libberty Hunter.
Matata, a stablemate of the winner, was sent off the 11-8 favourite and he was in charge turning for home before the field started to close in on him.
He jumped the last in front but slightly drifted on the run to the line, handing the initiative to the game Master Chewy who stayed on all the way to break his winless run.
Bookmakers halved Master Chewy’s Champion chase odds to 33-1 from 66-1 but the trainer feels the longer Ryanair Chase may be a more suitable option than taking on odds-on favourite Jonbon.
He said: “He’s got some smashing form and he’s got some really good form. Things haven’t always gone his way and he’s been beaten by horses coming up the handicap, but it was a superb run.
“He was giving weight to Matata and he did a lovely job. The funny thing is every time they have raced against each other, Master Chewy has almost always beaten Matata. The only time it didn’t happen was when he fell in the Arkle and they are both lovely horses and you can never split them.
“Master Chewy was always going to run on and finish strong and probably needs further – perhaps we will run him in a Ryanair. I will talk to the experts but the Ryanair could be easier than the Champion Chase.
“The owners (Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepperd) have been very supportive, they are our stable sponsors and are superstars. They lost I Like To Move It the other year which was a terrible time but that was exciting and wonderful.”
Of Matata, he added: “It might have come too soon after Windsor and that’s what I’m putting that down to.
“He will go to the Champion Chase definitely. He ran his heart out last time and this has probably come just a little too soon. We’ve got a good four or five weeks to the next one, so onwards and upwards.”
Evan Williams could also look to the Champion Chase with Libberty Hunter, with a handicap entry also on the table.
He said: “The horse ran well and there’s no complaints, he was second best on the day but gave us plenty of optimism in that grade for the future.
“It’s such a huge jump to this level and it’s so nice when you have one that can bridge the gap.
“He will be entered in the Grand Annual and he’s in the Champion Chase and we’ll have to see what is the best option. Adam Wedge is convinced he’s a better horse around Cheltenham than a flat track.
“He deserves his place in the Champion Chase field perhaps and if it came up really soft at Cheltenham, you might be inclined to take a punt.”
