Great start by Prince at Leicester

One-time Classic hopeful Dubai Prince made an impressive start to a career over jumps with a facile win in the gathering gloom at Leicester.

The dual Group Three winner, formerly trained by Dermot Weld and then by disgraced former Godolphin handler Mahmood Al Zarooni, brushed aside the opposition with consummate ease in the concluding Burton Overy Novices' Hurdle.

Now with Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock advisor John Ferguson, Dubai Prince (8/11 favourite) led after three out and bolted up by six lengths from Algernon Pazham without coming out of second gear.

"He's obviously a class horse on the Flat, and you'd have to be happy with the way he did that," said his jockey Denis O'Regan.

"They went slow early on so I got him plenty of cover. He jumped fluently, and quickened up nicely in the straight. He's beaten nothing, but he's won like a nice horse.

"Having been a Group Three winner on the Flat he's going to be more effective on good ground. It was good ground here today and if he doesn't get his ground for the winter there'll be no harm in it because he'll be one for the spring."

Maurice Linehan found himself in trouble with the stewards following his fourth-placed finish on Join The Clan in the same race.

The stewards inquired into the running and riding of the twice-raced four-year-old, who stayed on to be beaten just over 11 lengths.

Having heard evidence from Linehan and trainer Jonjo O'Neill's representative, the stewards ruled the rider was in breach of Rule (B)59.4 and guilty of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing.

Linehan, who told the stewards that after making a mistake at the first, his mount jumped carefully throughout, was suspended for 14 days (December 2 to 15 inclusive).

Zafranagar made amends for a narrow defeat at Wetherby just 48 hours earlier when taking the richest race on the card, the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

The Ian Williams-trained eight-year-old had been nabbed on the line by Zaplamation on Saturday after holding a handy lead at the last.

His rider, 5lb-claiming conditional Robert McCarth, left his challenge late this time and it paid off as the 9/4 favourite defeated Canadian Diamond by half a length.

"At Wetherby I learned the hard way. It was a messy race and a stop-start gallop, whereas today they went a nice pace," said McCarth.

"I had something to aim at today, which he needs, and I'm delighted he's won. The stable has had a few seconds recently so it's nice to get one in front."

There was, however, a sting in the tail for McCarth after he was banned for three days (December 4-6) for using his whip without allowing his horse time to respond.

Sam Twiston-Davies came for a winning spare ride on Valco De Touzaine (4/9 favourite) in the John O'Gaunt Novice Chase after Daryl Jacob was switched to Plumpton by trainer Paul Nicholls because of an injury to Nick Scholfield.

The four-year-old French-bred gelding followed up a victory at Wetherby two weeks ago with a cosy two and a quarter length call over Buthelezi in what developed into a match between the pair.

"The better ground helped him travel and relax, but he could have done with something to help him go a stride quicker," said Twiston-Davies.

"He stuck his head down and I think he will get further in time. He's only four. It was a good run."

Mystery Drama (7/4 favourite) could be headed for a Listed contest at Aintree on December 7 after making a successful debut over jumps in the Your Expert Guide to Leicester LeicesterRacecourseTips.co.uk Juvenile Fillies' Hurdle.

Trainer Alan King saddled L'Unique to lift the Liverpool prize last season and he may aim the three-year-old, fresh from two wins on the Flat, there after she defeated Poetic Verse by three-quarters of a length.

"She had to work harder than for her recent Flat wins so she will have learned a lot from that," said King's assistant Dan Horsford.

"I think connections will possibly be looking at a juvenile fillies' Listed races at Aintree next month."

Smart Catch (8/1) held course regular Nom De Guerre by a neck to claim the Katherine Swynford Handicap Chase under Lee Edwards.

"He's an Aga Khan-bred horse and there's plenty of stamina there. I don't think this took a lot of winning," said trainer Tony Carroll.

"We're delighted. He's still a novice and we will try to find a novice handicap chase for him at the right place."

Mr Bachster (3/1) fought off the favourite Tinelyra to take the Castle Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase by half a length to follow up victory at Ludlow last month.

"He's not a tall horse but he's good model and he's a nice horse to have in the yard," said trainer Richard Lee.

"His jumping was a little but iffy when we got him. He had fallen on his only run over fences before we ran him at Ludlow the other day, but we schooled him pretty extensively and it's paid off.

"He's a good fun horse and he's for sale."

There was no bid for Persian Herald (11/4 favourite) after the Neil King-trained five-year-old took the Eastwell Selling Hurdle under 3lb-claimer Trevor Whelan.