SPARSHOLT trainer Harry Whittington believes Saint Calvados has an exciting future after his new recruit made a winning debut in Britain with a decisive success at Newbury.
A winner of his first three hurdle races in France before finishing sixth in a Grade 2 contest at Auteuil, the four-year-old gelding jumped well in an extended two-mile novices’ handicap chase.
Galloping on strongly through the heavy ground, the 7-4 second favourite powered home by nine lengths from Remilluc under Aidan Coleman.
Whittington said: “He is just always in second gear at home and you just want to see them do it on the track especially first time over fences, but he has been a natural when we schooled him at home. He has not put a foot wrong.
“He just does everything very easily and we are very excited by him.”
Saint Calvados’s success capped a good week for Whittington after his enterprise in sending hat-trick seekers The Dubai Way and Octagon on the 500-mile round trip to Sedgefield on Boxing Day was rewarded with an 8-1 double.
On the Flat, Wantage trainer Henry Candy’s King Of Nepal landed a seven-furlong handicap at Wolverhampton.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here