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Friday's debut win at Newbury for hurdler Under Control has put an outing at Aintree's April meeting very much in the sights of trainer Nicky Henderson.
The promising four-year-old won at Fontainebleau in her only previous start three months ago, and was duly was sent off as 5/4 favourite for her UK bow in the BetVictor Proud Sponsors Of Newbury Juvenile Hurdle.
Her victory was one half of a double on the day for Henderson and jockey Nico De Boinville – who also landed the concluding Byerley Stud Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle with Spring Note (5-2).
Owned by JP McManus, Under Control travelled with real enthusiasm throughout before putting the race to bed with minimal fuss, De Boinville motionless in the saddle as she delivered a four-and-a-half-length verdict.
The master of Seven Barrows was quick to to rule out an appearance in the Ryanair Mares' Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but admitted that bigger things lie ahead with Aintree's Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle pencilled in as a possibility.
"I was delighted with her, it was an impressive performance," said Henderson .
"She's only had one run in her life and I didn't know what to expect. She's not a great big filly and we haven't had her very long. Her jumping needed a bit of educating, but she's very straight and I thought she was good today. It was a very nice debut.
"She jumped beautifully. We actually schooled her this morning before we went to the races – Nico came and gave her a pop in the indoor school because it has taken her a bit of time to get the hang of it and it did her good actually.
"She's not going to go to Cheltenham, but it's not to say we won't think about Aintree – mainly because hopefully all the good Irish horses will stay at home and go to Punchestown!
"I'm not saying she's a superstar because she has got a very long way to go, but it was a very pleasing debut."
A trip to Merseyside is also on the cards for Ben Pauling's Twig (4-9 favourite) who dropped back in both grade and trip to record victory in the BetVictor Proud Sponsors Of Newbury Juvenile Hurdle.
"In my eyes he is definitely a three-miler, but the River Don was a really rough race – he was among the thick of it the whole way," explained Pauling.
"He's a horse that doesn't overly love the hustle and bustle of a race like that and he needs to be treated with kid gloves a little bit.
"I was delighted to see him back on track and also see Doncaster hadn't left a mark. He did it nicely, American Sniper set us a good target and there was going to be no hiding place – I thought Beau (Morgan, jockey) gave him a lovely ride and produced him to win nicely.
"He will probably go to Aintree – whether he runs in the three-mile handicap or the three mile novice (Sefton Novices' Hurdle) I don't know yet, but Aintree will probably be his target."
Emitom made a successful start to life in the care of Alan King in the Play Pick 6 At BetVictor Handicap Hurdle.
Runner-up in the Sefton and winner of the Rendlesham Hurdle when trained by Warren Greatrex, he had somewhat lost his way of late. But a change of scenery appears to have worked the oracle and the nine-year-old rolled back the years in style to oblige at 100/30 in the hands of Tom Cannon .
"I was delighted today," said King. "All we have done is give him a change of scenery and freshen him up.
"I thought coming to the races today he would either win or pull up and nothing in between, but he seems to have enjoyed himself.
"There's no plans, all we're going to do is go home and regroup – I'm not going to get excited or overface him. It's great today, but let's not get carried away."
There was also a double on the card for jockey Ben Ffrench Davis who took the opening A-Plan Insurance Supporting West Berkshire Mencap Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle aboard Sashenka (4/1) before adding the West Berkshire Mencap Handicap Chase on William de Best-Turner's Calgary Tiger (13/8 joint favourite).
