Serge passes Supreme test in style

L’ami Serge is now clear favourite at 9/2 with Coral for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle which kicks-off proceedings at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, March 10th, following an ultra-impressive success in the Tolworth Hurdle.

The Nicky Henderson trained gelding had been available at 10/1 going into the Grade 1 contest at Sandown, but those odds disappeared in a puff of smoke after he strode to a wide margin success.

The French import oozed class, and after travelling strongly throughout took up the running from the highly regarded Jolly’s Cracked It two from home before showing a superb change of gear to sprint clear in testing conditions for a facile 14 length success.

It is very rare to see a horse quicken in the manner that L’ami Serge did on bottomless ground, and there is no reason to believe that he will not be just as effective – or even better – on good going.

The son of King’s Theatre is a beautiful mover, and is now unbeaten in three runs since joining Henderson.

The Seven Barrows handler is not usually one to show his feelings after a contest, but he could not hide his delight at the manner of L’ami Serge’s success and had a rare glint in his eye which suggested he believed the five-year-old could be something very special indeed.

The plan now is for L’ami Serge to head straight to the Festival, and he looks a worthy favourite to provide Henderson with his third winner of the 2m contest having saddled River Ceiriog to victory in 1986 and Flown in 1992.

The Willie Mullins trained pair of Douvan and Alvsio Ville are next in the betting at 5/1 and 8/1 respectively with Coral as the champion Irish handler bids to land a hat-trick of successes in the race.