Peddlers wins on chase debut Peddlers Cross, runner-up to Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, got his chasing career off to a winning start when easily dispatching two rivals at Bangor this afternoon. The 1/8 favourite jumped well under Timmy Murphy, deputising for the sidelined Jason Maguire, before effortlessly stretching clear on the run-in to beat The Chazer by four and a half lengths. The Donald McCain-trained gelding certainly pleased connections, and is now a top-priced 6/1 with Stan James for the Arkle Chase. "We're very much relieved," said McCain. "He's done what we always expected him to do. " "The only time he's done anything wrong it was my fault, we shouldn't have gone to Aintree (at the end of last season). "I was kicking myself afterwards and when you saw how hard he struggled after the last to the line at Cheltenham I should never have even contemplated going. Thankfully, I've got an owner that forgives me. "You expected him to make one small mistake going round, but I didn't see one. He's done everything we've asked him to do and done it really well. "There is no substitute for experience and I'd like to think we'll get two or three more (runs) into him at least. Last season's light campaign was firstly due to the weather and secondly due to him being under the weather. He loves his job." Boylesports and Sky Bet now have Peddlers Cross at 9/2 (from 6/1) for the 2012 Arkle Chase at Cheltenham, although Stan James and Victor Chandler were less impressed, leaving him unchanged at 6/1 and 11/2 respectively.
