Colour Squadron 2 from 3 The Irish-bred Colour Squadron made all the running to see off Montbazon and Ericht in the First Great Western Maiden Hurdle at Newbury. Philip Hobbs' five-year-old had run well on his hurdling bow at the track last month but stepped up markedly on that form here to win by a length. He had to fight hard to see off runner-up Montbazon but was in command at the line under Richard Johnson. Alan King's Montbazon was quite keen on this hurdling debut but travelled nicely and loomed up at the second last. However he wasn't as fluent as the winner at the final flight and was fighting a losing battle from that point on. Favourite Ericht was well-held in third and didn't find much for pressure when the pace quickened, whilst David Pipe's War Singer shaped with promise back in fourth. Sky Bet go 16/1 about the winner (first show) for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
