Haiti Couleurs Delights With Newbury Comeback Win

Haiti Couleurs delighted in the best tune-up for a prospective tilt at the Betfair Chase when making a winning reappearance in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Newbury.


Rebecca Curtis' Cheltenham Festival and Irish Grand National hero was dispatched at 17-2 in the hands of Sean Bowen for his return over the smaller obstacles and his came to the fore in the closing phases, as the champ jockey outbattled his bro James Bowen aboard runner-up Bill Baxter.


Britain's shortest-priced competitor for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Haiti Couleurs holds an entry for the Coral Gold Cup back at Newbury on November 29, however Curtis is lured to divert to Haydock a week previously with her star chaser.


Curtis told Sky Sports Racing: "I'm not overly surprised he won as I knew he was really well and had enhanced from in 2015.


"I hoped he would run one of those races where you finish in the first 5, however enjoying him go round I knew he was going to win because of the way he was taking a trip and you understand he remains.


"He ran hurdles off 135 in 2015 and was beaten, however he's won off 10lb greater here, so it appears like he has enhanced."


Haiti Couleurs made a winning return at Newbury (David Davies/PA)


One what follows, she added: "There's pros and cons to both races, our main goal was the Coral Gold Cup however it's good to company here today on the chase track and looking at the forecast they are not due excessive rain here next week.


"He'll go into that off top-weight most likely and Dan's (Skelton, Protektorat and Grey Dawning) ranked greater won't run.


"The Betfair Chase is actually tempting, I know it's just 2 and a half weeks away however he's the kind of horse you can get away with doing that with and he will be fresh on Monday morning.


"I will chat to the owners and choose what they wish to do, however I would be siding that way now. You would hope he may be a Gold Cup horse, however I'm not going to press him down that road if he's not to that level.


"I love the method he has improved and you have seen how hard he is and he stays so well. He can go an excellent gallop and those are all the important things you need for a Gold Cup, so we will see, it's amazing."


Haiti Couleurs may not be returning to Newbury on 'Hennessy day' but one who might is Harry Derham's Jackie Hobbs after making a winning obstacles launching in the CSP Mares' Novices' Hurdle as the 13-8 favourite.


A useful bumper entertainer last term, she was handed a quote of 20-1 by Paddy Power for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but in the immediate she might contest the Listed Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" Mares' Novices' Hurdle.


Derham stated: "She was great and I thought it was rather a deep race. The thing I was most delighted about was how well she leapt and she stays 2 miles well, so Paul (O'Brien) wanted to make a lot of use of her.


"He stated she had a real good blow from the back of three out, so you would like to think she would improve plenty and she's a very great mare and one to look forward to.


"Returning to Newbury is a definite alternative as long as she comes out of this all best and remains in great type - we would certainly consider it.


"It would be great to end up in a race like the Jane Seymour at Sandown later on in the year, however it's excellent to overcome the first hurdle today and it will be good making strategies with her from here."


Anthony Honeyball's Lord Baddesley (6-4) came home in splendid seclusion to win the Daily Racing Boosts At BetVictor Handicap Chase, while the concluding British Horse Society Open National Hunt Flat Race went the way of Chris Gordon's 13-8 favourite Bass Hunter.