Paul Nicholls secured his sixth career victory in the Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury, continuing his successful history in the event, which has included past winners like Denman. Nicholls had won the previous three renewals with Bravemansgame, Stage Star, and Hermes Allen, and now Captain Teague, ridden by Harry Cobden, joined this distinguished list after a dramatic finish.
Cobden maintained a calm approach on the 2/1 favorite Captain Teague, making a decisive move near the second-last fence. Taking the lead from Lookaway, who eventually finished second, Captain Teague seemed to ease off on the run-in but was driven out to win by one and a half lengths.
Neill King's Lookaway put up a strong performance, particularly over the increased distance. The Jukebox Man, trained by Ben Pauling, surpassed expectations by finishing third at 20/1 odds. Johnnywho, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, also finished strongly, securing fourth place in a tightly contested race.
Willmount, the 9/4 second-favorite trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by James Bowen, underperformed, despite the pair's earlier successes with Jeriko Du Reponet and Spring Note.
In reaction to the race, Betfair shortened Captain Teague's odds for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle to 14/1 from 33/1, while Sky Bet adjusted Johnnywho's odds for the Albert Bartlett to 16/1 from 25.
Paul Nicholls praised Captain Teague's performance, noting his excellent travel and jumping. He observed the horse's tendency to idle in front and discussed plans to further improve his racing skills. Nicholls anticipates Captain Teague becoming a more formidable racer when jumping fences next season and eventually moving up to three-mile races.
Future plans for Captain Teague include discussions with owner Johnny De La Hay, with Nicholls emphasizing the importance of soft ground for the horse. Nicholls also compared Captain Teague's potential with previous winners Bravemansgame, Stage Star, and Hermes Allen, predicting a successful future in chasing.
David Cleary from Timeform suggested that the Albert Bartlett might be an obvious target for Captain Teague, considering his performance and the history of the Challow Hurdle in shaping future champions. Cleary also commended the performances of Lookaway, The Jukebox Man, and Johnnywho, while noting the disappointing run of Willmount.