'Unreal' to own new favourite for Hurdle

“UNREAL” is how Gordon Hall described the feeling of owning the new favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, in the wake of Old Park Star’s dazzling performance at Haydock on Saturday.

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Nico de Boinville riding Old Park Star clear the last to win The British EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse in December. Below, Nicky Henderson.

Old Park Star was among the horses Hall and his wife Su moved from Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat base in Somerset to Nicky Henderson and Seven Barrows in Lambourn over the summer.

While Nicholls has been credited for his patience with Old Park Star and another promising novice, Act Of Innocence, in their formative days, Henderson is undoubtedly reaping the rewards.

Old Park Star is as low as 2-1 for the Supreme, with Act Of Innocence due to test his Festival credentials at Cheltenham on Trials day at the weekend.

“Hopefully we'll have the same result with Act Of Innocence. then we'll have one for the two-mile race and one for two-and-a-half (Turners Novices’ Hurdle),” said Hall.

“Because of how Old Park Star performed last time at Cheltenham - we were a bit surprised that day - Nico (de Boinville) got off and said he didn’t ride him, he came up the hill by himself.

“We thought on a flatter track he might be caught out and the Moore horse (Hurricane Pat) might be racing so you have to enjoy the good ones.