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 barriers and his stamina came forward in the closing phases, as the champion jockey outbattled his brother James Bowen aboard runner-up Bill Baxter.


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


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


"I hoped he would run among those races where you complete in the first 5, but watching him go round I knew he was going to win because of the method he was travelling and you understand he remains.


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


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


One what comes next, she included: "There's benefits and drawbacks to both races, our primary goal was the Coral Gold Cup however it's great to firm here today on the chase track and taking a look at the forecast they are not due excessive rain here next week.


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


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


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


"I enjoy the method he has improved and you have seen how difficult he is and he stays so well. He can go a good gallop and those are all the things you require for a Gold Cup, so we will see, it's interesting."


Haiti Couleurs may not be going back to Newbury on 'Hennessy day' however one who could is Jackie Hobbs after making a winning hurdles launching in the CSP Mares' Novices' Hurdle as the 13-8 favourite.


A useful bumper performer 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 said: "She was excellent and I thought it was rather a deep race. The important things I was most happy about was how well she jumped and she remains 2 miles well, so Paul (O'Brien) wished to make a lot of use of her.


"He said she had a real great blow from the back of 3 out, so you wish to believe she would enhance plenty and she's an extremely great mare and one to anticipate.


"Coming back to Newbury is a guaranteed alternative as long as she comes out of this all ideal and is in great form - we would definitely consider it.


"It would be good to wind up in a race like the Jane Seymour at Sandown later in the year, but it's great to overcome the first obstacle today and it will be nice making plans with her from here."


Anthony Honeyball's Lord Baddesley (6-4) got back in magnificent isolation to win the Daily Racing Boosts At BetVictor Handicap Chase, while the concluding British Horse Society Open National Hunt Flat Race went the method of Chris Gordon's 13-8 preferred Bass Hunter.