Caribean Boy (28-1) caused something of an upset when landing the feature Grade Two Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase at Cheltenham today, day one of The April Meeting.

The nine year old grey, running in the familiar green silks of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, was shouldered with top-weight of 11st 12lb and after tracking the leaders early on in the extended two and a half mile contest, was left with plenty to do on the turn from home after becoming outpaced.

However, he found plenty for Daryl Jacob and came with a tremendous run up the hill to score by four lengths. The placings of the second and third were reversed, with Super Six judged to have caused interference to Gemirande. 

Winning trainer Nicky Henderson said: “I was gagging to run him in the Topham!

“The way he jumps you’d think he was made for it. To be fair he just doesn’t like big fields. The way Daryl (Jacob) has gone round there, he’s given him plenty of daylight all the way. It’s his first run back since having his wind done and it’s noticeable actually at home how much lower he’s been carrying his head than he was before. Marcus (Armytage) rode him yesterday, so I imagine he’ll take all the credit!

“It’s just great to see him back, he’s a lovely horse and he’s been a good friend. I’ve got to say I think that this time the wind probably had done the trick, as you could see the difference at home. He is enjoying himself again. I was desperate for him to go for the Topham, we nearly won it anyways (Fantastic Lady was second) so guess what would have happened had he been in it! Daryl wasn’t very keen on the Topham and has always said no, so there’s nothing I can do.”

On Mister Coffey, who finished eighth in Saturday’s Randox Grand National, the master of Seven Barrows added: “I think the sport has done very well over the last few days. I thought it was handled well (at Aintree) and everybody is now discussing what you should and shouldn’t do, but I thought it was handled well. They knew it was coming.

“If it had been Jonbon in the paddock, he wouldn’t have run because he wouldn’t have coped with it. I was lucky we had Mister Coffey and nothing rocks him, so that wasn’t a problem for us. It’s a pity that it’s happening, they’ve gone on to do something on the snooker table as well. Everybody is allowed to say what they think, but if that’s the right way to do it I don’t know.

“From our point of view, Mister Coffey loved the race itself. If someone can tell me that horses like Mister Coffey didn’t enjoy it something has gone badly wrong, as that horse loved every single stride of it. The only thing I find sad about it is for the people of Liverpool. We go up there for three or four days and the people are just wonderful, they are so hospitable and it’s their race. It’s the people’s race and it’s Liverpool’s race.”

Successful jockey Daryl Jacob added: “He hasn’t been straightforward and all credit to Nicky and the team.

“I rode work on him two and a half weeks ago and said to Nicky that he was back moving really, really well again. He needed another piece of work and so we just had to wait a while.

“His last piece of work was good and it was good to see him do that today. He was starting to frustrate me a bit because when I won on him at Newbury (the Grade Two Berkshire Novices’ Chase in 2020) I thought he was going to be my next Bristol de Mai. Everything he did that day was just awesome.

“He hasn’t been quite at that level since but has come down the handicap and it was great he won nicely today.”

After the race it was announced that Coole Cody, who finished seventh, has been retired. The 12 year old was a nine-time winner and earned over £340,000 in prize money. He was successful four times at Cheltenham, including the 2020 Paddy Power Gold Cup, 2021 December Gold Cup and 2022 Festival Plate.