That race has been kind to the Lambourn-based trainer and his six-year-old currently heads the ante-post market.

We're going to take a look at Old Park Star's profile from the very beginning to the present day.

Early days

Foaled on the 15th March 2020, Old Park Star is by Kedrah Park Stud's Well Chosen and out of the mare Norwich Star. He has two previously raced full-siblings and one of those was the Grade 2 hurdle winner Chosen Mate. Synone is his other full-brother but he failed to get his head in front in nine starts under rules.

Initially sold for 50,000, Paul Nicholls picked him up as a three-year-old for 120,000 and he has been owned by Gordon and Su Hall since. He made his first start under rules in a bumper at Sandown back in November, where he finished third behind Hurricane Pat.

The gelding showed potential in his bumper days but was perhaps a little bit backwards, despite finishing second at Kempton on his second start. He looked a tad one-paced that day but kept on nicely, finishing four lengths adrift of the winner.

It's perhaps a little disappointing that he failed to win a bumper and he was a comfortably beaten third on his final bumper start at Chepstow in April. Freddie Gingell rode him that day and he was eight lengths behind the winner, despite going off as the 6/4 favourite.

A switch of yards

Gordon and Su Hall then decided to move Old Park Star to Henderson for the following season and he has been faultless in three starts over timber for Seven Barrows. The form of his Kempton victory on hurdling debut is absolutely rock-solid.

Runner-up Un Sens La Vie has won since and the third bolted up next time, en route to finishing third in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham recently. Old Park Star travelled very strongly that day and kept on well to score by three lengths in the end.

Plenty keen enough at Cheltenham after that, it made little difference in the end and he pulled clear to score impressively in a Class 2 over 2m1f. The form probably doesn't amount to much, but it would be hard not to be impressed by the style in which he did it.

It's no surprise that connections decided to step him up in grade next time and he headed to Haydock for the Grade 2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle. He travelled like a dream throughout and kicked 18 lengths clear of the runner-up.

That performance unsurprisingly caused him to catapult up the betting for the Supreme at Cheltenham in March. We should learn plenty about the Irish challenge at the Dublin Racing Festival, but he looks like a worthy favourite for the time being.

Symbols Explained

ts² Tongue Strap vs² Visor hd² Hood es² Eye Shield ec² Eye Cover cp² Cheekpiece bl² Blinkers tt² Tongue Tie bf Beaten Favourite on Last Run srMentioned in Stewards Report in Results bbvBroke Blood Vessel

The superscript number on headgear bl² indicates number of times worn. A plus bl⁺ indicates more than 10 times where as red background bl¹indicates first time.