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Your support makes all the difference.ATOURS was cut from 14-1 to 10-1 and 8-1 by Ladbrokes and Coral respectively for the Champion Hurdle after gaining a bloodless victory in the Agfa Hurdle here yesterday. The David Elsworth-trained gelding easily beat Land Afar and three other rivals.
Some of the interest in the race was removed with the withdrawal, owing to the fast ground, of Right Win. The victory will, however, have boosted Atours' confidence after three consecutive second places. Richard Dunwoody brought him to join Land Afar at the last and Atours ran on up the hill as his rival, having his first run since winning the same contest last year, tired.
Dunwoody said: "That will have done his mind the world of good. He travelled well and picked up well when I asked him."
There are still several Champion Hurdle pieces to be fitted together before the picture is complete. The ante-post favourite, Alderbrook, is scheduled to make his seasonal reappearance in the Kingwell Hurdle in 18 days' time at Wincanton - where Elsworth may take him on with Atours and possibly Muse - and Dunwoody's first-choice mount Fortune And Fame will oppose Champion second favourite Danoli and Hotel Minella in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park the previous weekend.
Elsworth, whose two other championship candidates, Oh So Risky and Absalom's Lady, are due out at Ascot on Wednesday, was delighted with Atours. He said: "He jumped so well - he's made only one semblance of a mistake in his last three runs - and he must go to Cheltenham with a decent chance."
Paul Webber was equally pleased with Land Afar, and at Wetherby, Dato Star, undefeated in three bumpers last term, laid his credentials on the line with a facile victory on his hurdling debut.
On an afternoon of multi-sport representation, the Ripley Hurdle went to Debutante Days, owned by Shirley Brasher, wife of former world-class steeplchaser and London Marathon organiser Chris. As Shirley Bloomer, Mrs Brasher was a top-level tennis player - she won the French Open in 1957 - and her filly's six-length defeat of Paddy's Return on her first outing over obstacles earned her a tilt at the Triumph Hurdle.
After dismounting from High Baron, winner of the Guildford Flames Handicap Chase, Dunwoody donned an ice-hockey shirt as he stood on the victory rostrum among members of the team which sponsored the race. High Baron has the Grand Annual Chase as his Cheltenham Festival target.
Dunwoody made it an 83-1 treble by partnering Trainglot, who landed a gamble by seven lengths in the Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle. It was a chance ride for the Ulsterman after Jamie Osborne, shaken up by an earlier fall, stood down, and a tremendous training performance by Jimmy FitzGerald. Trainglot won the same race three years ago as a novice, but then missed two seasons, returning to action with a victory at Newcastle two weeks ago.
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