© Photo Healy Racing
High-class Flat stayer Wise Eagle continued his resurgence over jumps with a wide-margin victory at Catterick on Tuesday.
Adam Nicol’s stable star has a three-figure rating on the level, having last year landed the valuable Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh before picking up the silver medal behind Coltrane in the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.
That performance earned the seven-year-old a tilt at Gold Cup glory at the Royal meeting, but he finished tailed off after suffering a season-ending injury.
He has run some good races in defeat on the Flat since returning in 2024, but having been well held after blowing the start in the November Handicap, Nicol decided on a change of tack and Wise Eagle came good with a 23-length demolition job in a maiden hurdle at Musselburgh late last month.
The Horseshoe Cafe Bar Opens Today Novices’ Hurdle looked a good opportunity for him to follow up and the 1-4 favourite got the job done with the minimum of fuss, this time coming home with 14 lengths in hand to seal his 14th career win under Craig Nichol.
“Craig’s just kept it simple out in front and he’d be better getting a lead really, but it was almost like a schooling session for him,” said the winning trainer.
“He’ll be better when they go a better gallop and he’s able to get a lead, but winning like that should do his confidence good and he’s come back in here jogging, which is what you want.”
Considering future plans, the trainer added: “We’ve a few options. There’s a valuable two-mile Flat race at Newcastle in the middle of January and then there’s races like the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso. He needs to step up in class now I think.
“I wouldn’t want to run him on heavy ground, as for a stayer he’s got a turn of foot and a hell of a cruising speed.
“We’ll be selective where we go ground-wise, but I’d love to run him around somewhere like Aintree or Ayr at the Scottish Grand National meeting.
“Someone said to me the other day we might not get another horse like this for 10 years, but we might not get another one like him ever again. He just enjoys life.”
Bust A Move made a winning debut over obstacles in a dramatic Download The Raceday Ready App Now Juvenile Hurdle.
The race changed complexion when Continuance ran out and crashed through the wings of the second-last, at which stage Mick and David Easterby’s 10-1 shot Bust A Move was beginning to make his move.
There was a scare for his supporters as he blundered at the final obstacle, but Jamie Hamilton managed to keep the partnership intact and he passed the post with just over four lengths in hand over 10-11 favourite Hosaamm.
“I was worried about the ground being too quick because he’d relished heavy ground on the Flat, but we’ve always liked him,” said David Easterby.
“There were higher rated Flat horses in the race, but we’d schooled well at home and the main objective coming to a sharp track like this was to get him dropped in and get him settled and then the race has changed dramatically two out.
“In the end, Jamie was left in a position where he couldn’t do anything but win, but the last was very scary! I think we learnt a lot today, but we’ve got a lot more learning to do.”
Be The Difference stole a march on his rivals in the AJA Membership Includes Insurance Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle under an enterprising ride from 7lb claimer Shay Halton.
Phil Kirby’s 13-2 chance quickly established a huge lead over a chasing pack that included record-breaking amateur Patrick Mullins, who was riding at Catterick for the first time aboard Ithaka.
Be The Difference remained in a long lead rounding the home bend and while a few of his rivals did make inroads late on, he passed the post with a length and a half in hand.
Ithaka failed to pick up for Mullins and passed the post in fifth.
“Phil said to sit second, but if he is too keen just let him roll on – and to be fair, he’s kept galloping and they’ve let me away,” said Halton.
“He hasn’t won for a while, he’s had a couple of wins around Ayr and has been placed around here a couple of times, so it’s nice to get his head in front.”
Not Staying Long (6-1) and Henry Brooke bolted up in the Support The Injured Jockeys Fund Novices’ Handicap Chase on her first start for Patrick Neville, while the Donald McCain-trained Wrappedinrubies caused a 20-1 upset in the racingtv.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle under William Maggs.
