Sceau Royal took another significant step forward after posting a battling success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham.
Sceau Royal took another significant step forward after posting a battling success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham.
After being stripped of victory on his British debut before being caught on the line at Wetherby second time out, the Alan King-trained three-year-old made it two wins on the bounce when following up his recent win at Warwick.
Travelling smoothly close to rear of the field for much of the race the 7-4 shot moved up stylishly alongside Adrien Du Pont and Leoncavallo approaching the last.
A three-way battle quickly turned into a two-horse race as Leoncavallo saw his unbeaten record over hurdles come to an end when parting company with Aidan Coleman over the final flight.
That left Sceau Royal to exact revenge for his Chepstow defeat at the hands of Adrien Du Pont in the stewards' room, with a length and three-quarters between the pair at the line.
He was trimmed from 25-1 to 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle by William Hill, while Paddy Power went 16-1 from 33-1.
King said: "We hoped for that. The horse is really progressing. He was a little bit unlucky earlier in the season when he lost one in the stewards' room at Chepstow then he was mugged on the line at Wetherby.
"I just felt that the win at Warwick last time out gave him some confidence and certainly in his home work he is progressive.
"Katchit was exceptional, but this horse has got plenty of boot and he doesn't want to be in front too long.
"Hopefully that puts him in the mix for the Triumph."