Detroit Does It Again

Detroit City took his sequence of wins over timber to six and cemented his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle market with an all-the-way success in the Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham.

A world of expectation rested on the shoulders of the young grey heading into the #200,000 race ? the second richest hurdle event in the calendar ? as he locked horns with dual Champion Hurdle hero Hardy Eustace.

But despite the best efforts of the tenacious old warrior, the Philip Hobbs-trained four-year-old came out on top to strengthen his grip on the Smurfit Kappa-sponsored blue riband in March.

Four went to post for the former Bula Hurdle but bookmakers believed it to represent something of a match between the two big guns, with Detroit City sent off the 4-6 favourite to add this Grade Two contest to his growing haul.

Richard Johnson allowed his mount to stride on at the head of affairs and despite some sloppy jumping, he held off the tough-as-teak Hardy Eustace (6-4) by a length, although the nine-year-old was making serious inroads after the last.

The win was another in the race for Hobbs and owner Terry Warner following the ill-fated Rooster Booster's victory in 2002, after which he went on to capture the big one.

But Coral were not all that impressed and left him unchanged at a stand-out 7-2, while totesport also stood firm at 100-30.

Cashmans, Boylesports and VC Bet went 3-1, with Ladbrokes shortest of all at 5-2.

Hobbs said: 'I am delighted as it was his first time against a horse of Hardy Eustace's calibre. It can be difficult to assess these races with small fields, but he would have found more if another horse came to him.

'A stronger pace might have helped him as he was sloppy.

'Nothing wanted to go on, which would have been against us both. In the end it was the right result, but it wasn't a great performance.

'He couldn't see due to the sun at times, but he has done it well.

'Last time out he made the running and he did again today, it wasn't a concern beforehand.

'He is only a four-year-old so there should be a degree of progression there.

'I am not sure how we will get to the Festival. He is a horse who wants to race and we may look at the Agfa (February 3) as part of the programme, with the possibility of another run in January.

'The Christmas Hurdle at Kempton is out as Noble Request will go there and the track would be too sharp.'

Comparisons with fellow grey Rooster Booster are natural, and Hobbs added: 'He could easily be as good as Rooster Booster and I think he could go further.

'Rooster Booster had plenty of speed and had to be ridden off the pace, whereas he can make it or be held up. He has speed but stays too.'

Johnson said: 'The sun was actually quite bad up the straight ? the first two hurdles he jumped did just unnerve him a little bit and he didn't jump the first two up the back very well.

'But once he got up the hill he really got into gear and he's a pleasure to ride, he's so honest.

'He keeps finding a bit more. For a big horse he really lengthens his stride and when he really opens up he definitely keeps giving you a bit more all the time.

'Hopefully he can be very good. He's just a fantastic horse to ride and he keeps improving.

'He stays but he has enough pace for two miles.'

Warner added: 'He has done it very well and we know where we stand now as he has beaten a useful horse today.'

Hardy Eustace was left at 14-1 with Coral for a hat-trick of wins in the Champion Hurdle, although Ladbrokes were more cautious and trimmed him into 10s.

He put in his usual round of slick jumping under Conor O'Dwyer but found Detroit City hard to peg back after he nicked a few lengths off the turn, although he was 10-lengths clear of third-placed Crow Wood.

His trainer Dessie Hughes was far from downcast, though, and said: 'We'll see in March as he was beaten a length giving away 4lb and it was a messy race.

'He really doesn't like this ground and it was the same tacky ground at Aintree, which is what he really doesn't need.

'He'll run next in the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in January.'

(C) PA Sport