Listed bumper winner and third-season novice Uhtred justified 4/9 favouritism in winning Naas' opening BetVictor Maiden Hurdle today, scoring for trainer Joseph O'Brien, jockey Rachael Blackmore and Gigginstown House Stud.

Uhtred returned from a 14 months absence last February and while defeated in two late-season Listed and Grade 1 hurdles, his 'beaten bonus' was the preservation of novice status for 2021/22. That decision paid dividends today as his experience helped in beating runner-up Prevaricate by two and a quarter lengths.

Following the race, O'Brien's assistant Brendan Powell reported “Rachael said he’d be better in a better race when they are going on at a pace. He’s not a natural front-runner but the other horse was messing him about a bit so she had to go on from him.

“His bumper form is rock solid and for some reason he wasn’t right last year but he’s come back this year and has been working well.

“He jumped well on the whole and just popped the last. He’ll stay two and a half but has a turn of foot for a strong run two miles.”

Uhtred the Bold, assassinated in 1016, is the protagonist in both The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series.

Quotes from Alan Magee