Danny Whizzbang turns over Reserve Tank at Newbury Danny Whizzbang looks destined for big things after making a winning debut over fences to maintain his unbeaten record under rules in the Ladbrokes John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury. Making his first start in 270 days, the six-year-old stayed on strongly after going on two out to defeat odds-on favourite Reserve Tank by four lengths — giving trainer Paul Nicholls his eighth victory in the Grade Two contest. Nicholls said of his Harry Cobden-ridden 9-2 shot: “It was a very nice surprise. I wanted to run him in a beginners’ chase to get some experience and I thought I was chucking him in at the deep end today. “I thought he would need the run and experience, but he must be very good. He is a big, strong, old-fashioned type. “His breathing wasn’t good, but we sorted that out. He surprised me there — I thought he would run an OK race, but I thought he would finish third and would improve and run in a beginners’ chase over Christmas and carry on from there. “He will improve massively, as he hadn’t had a run. We brought him here a fortnight ago for a gallop and Sam Twiston-Davies said for one of mine he didn’t feel very fit.” The Ditcheat handler has not ruled out running Danny Whizzbang — who was introduced at 16-1 for the RSA Chase by Paddy Power, Coral and Ladbrokes — at Kempton Park on St. Stephen's Day. He added: “He looks like he may well be that horse (RSA type) as all he can do is get better. “He jumped well and Harry said he felt like he was riding a hunter all the way round, as he just kept popping away, and that he turned down the straight and just took off. “I hadn’t made a plan as I thought he would run in a beginners’ chase over Christmas, but that (Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase) is possible. If it was soft, why not? “He is the sort of horse that might keep surprising us.”
