Card looks good at Cheltenham Cue Card was a most impressive winner of the Cheltenham Collection Sharp Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday afternoon. Joe Tizzard's mount was keen-enough through the early stages at Prestbury Park, but was always cantering over his rivals - including Dunraven Storm. His market rival still held a narrow advantange turning in but the 8-13 favourite swept past going to the last to score well. The winning jockey said: "Today's the first time they've gone a real gallop. He switched off lovely and he didn't pick the bridle up until the second last. "The trip's no problem, I'm sure two miles is his trip. The next stepping stone has been done. "He just missed one, but it was only his second run over hurdles. He's never gone that fast jumping a hurdle. "In the better races they go a gallop. A top-class two-miler needs to stay and he can do that. We've got plenty of options but I think two miles for now." Tizzard snr said: "It's what we hoped for. It was a completely different race to what he'd run in before. "They went very fast early on and he had to show that he stays. "When Joe asked him, he found more and that was great to see. He's only four and we've got to mind him a little bit, so I'd say he'll have one more run round here around Christmas time." Asked whether the Champion Hurdle was under consideration for his star turn, Tizzard added: "We won't make any decision until after Christmas." Dunraven Storm's trainer, Philip Hobbs, said: "Ours has run a very good race, but Richard Johnson said when he looked at Cue Card, it was if he'd only joined in the race at the second last. "He looks an exceptional horse." Sky Bet cut him to 3-1 from 5s for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and 16s from 25s for the Champion.
