I Like To Move It became the fourth horse at The November Meeting to follow up on success at Cheltenham’s opening meeting of the 2021-22 season, The Showcase, when triumphant in the Grade Two Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle.
The four year old son of Trans Island is an exciting prospect and repeated his course and distance success of just over three weeks ago by making all to land today’s extended two mile contest in impressive fashion, scoring by two lengths from Washington.
It was a second success for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies at The November Meeting following the victory of Gowel Road in yesterday’s Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle, while the stable was also on the mark with a double at Wetherby and a winner at Fontwell this weekend.
The locally-based trainer said: “You can’t say from that whether he’s taken a step forward from last month. The horses weren’t anything like as good today, but he’s got a penalty and his jumping was superb so he’s exciting.
“That’s five winners this weekend for us now, which will do! Let’s hope he’s as good as we think he is, he only ever does enough when he comes off the bridle and he didn’t have to do much today.
“The Betfair Hurdle could be a thought down the line but we’ll have to see what the handicapper does. The main aim will be to come back here in March.”
Winning jockey Sam Twiston-Davies celebrated with a raised clenched fist to the crowd, just as Paddy Brennan had when riding a double 24 hours earlier.
And he explained: “It is fantastic. I promised Paddy Brennan I would give it a big one (celebration) if he won and thankfully he has. He is fantastic.
“It was not ideal making the running and he had a good look around but he has jumped well and won that is the main thing. We are missing a lot of our old superstars so to have one like him is handy. He has come along at the right time.
“Andrew Nicholson (the New Zealand-born eventer) is here today and he taught him to jump, so we can blame him for jumping his hurdles as fences – it’s quite nice to blame a multiple gold medal-winning eventer for that! He’s a chaser in time and it’s amazing to think he’s only four and he’s going around doing that. He’s fantastic and it’s nice to have him.”
The third and final day of The November Meeting concluded with Timeforatune (3-1) completing a 59-1 treble on the day for reigning champion trainer Paul Nicholls in the Listed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Racing in the familiar silks of owner John Hales, five year old Timeforatune is now unbeaten in three starts as he came with a great run in the final furlong to score by half a length under Harry Cobden. The son of Yorgunnabelucky was sold to current connections for £175,000 at Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale following a 33-1 debut victory at Ffos Las for his previous trainer Brian Eckley.
Trainer Nicholls said: “You say £175,000 is a lot of money but compared to what some of the point to pointers make these days that’s quite cheap! He’s now won two for us and is a lovely horse to go hurdling with, he won’t run in another bumper, we’ll get him jumping and go hurdling after Christmas.
“He’s a nice horse and is learning all the time. He’s a big chaser as you can see. I don’t think he’d done any jumping before we got him.
“We’ve schooled him a couple of times and he was nowhere near it, so I thought we’d give him another run today and then get some jumping practice into him – it might not be until after Christmas that you see him now.
“We need to get some experience into him - he’s obviously a good horse but it’s a time thing. I like how he sticks his head down and goes all the way to the line, so it’s a super job and a great day.”
