Norton storms home to land Champion Chase

Fox Norton stormed home on the run-in to give Robbie Power yet another big race winner in the Boylesports Champion Chase at Punchestown. Un De Sceaux looked to have the field on the stretch turning for home in the two-miler but couldn't hold the late surge of Colin Tizzard's raider.

The eventual winner had looked under pressure in third turning for home in the €250,000 event but stuck to his guns gamely under Power.

The 5/2 shot pressed Un De Sceaux after the second last and got on top soon after touching down at the final fence.

The seven-year-old, in the colours of Ann and Alan Potts, stayed on stoutly on the run-in to record a length-and-three-quarters win over the 10/11 favourite.

Fox Norton was following up on his impressive success in the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree having been narrowly denied by Special Tiara in the Queen Mother Champion Chase previously.

That man Robbie Power is at it again - Fox Norton wins the @BoyleSports Champion Chase! pic.twitter.com/gjLv6jJY7P

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 25, 2017

“It's been on our minds ever since Cheltenham and Aintree 'are we going one step too far',” said Tizzard.

“He's just progressed into a beautiful young horse. Obviously this is his minimum trip but he was good enough to win this and very nearly win a Champion Chase.

“This just looked lovely (for him). He did had three months off in the middle of the season when he cut into himself at Cheltenham so it's not like he's been on the go all the time.

“He's the one horse we thought we could bring here and he's shown it all.

“You've got to stay in every race and he's got that about him. Luckily enough when he came on the market Alan and Ann Potts wanted the horse. It doesn't always turn out but he has.

“Robbie was cool. He didn't get involved in any battles until he had to. The horse made a few mistakes and Robbie said he was going flat out the whole time.

“If you saw this horse on the gallops you'd never think he was a champion two miler. Honestly slow three milers would beat him.

“This is why we get up in the morning and why we go looking at horses to come and win at places like Punchestown. It's fantastic."

When asked if Fox Norton could step up in trip next season Tizzard said:- “I think there's every temptation. That was his minimum and if there had been a two-and-a-half miler here today he would have been in that.

“He'd get three miles but of course Sizing John is there. I think he'd get two-and-a-half or three.”

When asked if he could be a King George horse Tizzard responded:- “He could be.”

Power, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Sizing John in the same colours, said: "It's been an unbelievable season and getting a Grade One at Punchestown as well for Mr and Mrs Potts - it's fantastic.

"He was flat to the boards the whole way. I didn't want to give Un De Sceaux too much rope. Just because of that I was flat out the whole way and he made one or two little mistakes, but once we turned in I knew I would pick him up.

"Two miles is sharp enough for him. He's a very relaxed horse. He'll have no bother going further."

Willie Mullins said of the runner-up Un De Sceaux:- “He probably wants it softer for that trip, and wants an extra half-mile on better ground. We’ve had a fantastic season with him, and will put him away now.

“The faster pace over two miles on better ground didn’t suit him. The horse was in good order. He’s probably a two-mile horse on winter ground but when it comes to the spring he wants the extra half-mile.”

Ruby Walsh added:- “Un De Sceaux just can’t burn them off on quick ground. They're able to get to you, that's all it is.

“He never stopped, he jumped super, but he just couldn’t burn them off on quick ground. It’s beautiful ground out there, but he wants it soft.”