Native River left his connections speechless after turning in a career-best performance with a notable success in the bet365 Novices' Chase at Newbury.
Native River left his connections speechless after turning in a career-best performance with a notable success in the bet365 Novices' Chase at Newbury.
While Cue Card may be the current apple of trainer Colin Tizzard's eye, he could soon face a challenge from the five-year-old after he continued his rapid rate of progression with a resolute win in a competitive renewal of the Grade Two prize.
French Champion Hurdle hero Un Temps Pour Tout attempted to make all under Tom Scudamore in an effort to put his odds-on defeat on his chasing debut at Cheltenham behind him, and he looked in good shape to do that with only the eventual winner in any position to lay down a serious challenge turning for home.
After staying on dourly through the mud at Exeter last time out, Native River (8-1) showed stamina is his forte as he reeled in the David Pipe-trained runner - who did not help his cause when going through the top of the penultimate fence - before the last.
Although Un Temps Pour Tout attempted to raise another effort up the run-in he could find no more, with the Brendan Powell-ridden Native River powering on to take the extended two-mile-seven-furlong prize by three and three-quarter lengths.
He was introduced at 25-1 for the RSA Chase by Betfred, while Paddy Power trimmed him from 20-1 to 12-1 for the National Hunt Chase.
Winning owner Garth Broom said: "We always thought a lot of him, but we just thought we'd come here to see where we are with him.
"I'm a little bit shell-shocked at the moment and speechless, which is unusual - he's only five and was giving weight away to older, more experienced horses.
"He's probably one of the better ones I've had, but I think he's got to find a few pounds to take on the likes of Willie Mullins' army.
"Everyone says he's only an out-and-out stayer, but he can quicken in the closing stages and he won at Exeter so he's not short of pace and when he starts to pick up he keeps finding.
"The Feltham (Kempton, December 26) is a possibility, I think it's on the radar but we'll just digest this first and have a think."