TRAINER Don Cantillon almost had tears in his eyes at Wetherby yesterday after the mare that his family bred and he owns and trains was a most impressive winner of the novices' chase.
Alpine Gale jumped into the lead at halfway and won easing down, a performance which has earned her a date at the Chelten-ham Festival.
''The Kim Muir is the only race we have entered her in at the Festival and she will definitely run if she is well,'' said Cantillon.
''She is better on top of the ground, but she is such a darling and so gutsy, and here she was brilliant on this ground (good to soft).''
Alpine Gale has won eight of her 11 races under Rules, and Cantillon went on: ''I will give her a couple of five and six-furlong canters starting next week before Cheltenham.''
Pat Haslam is only one course away from completing a remarkable set after watching Nigel's Lad win the novices' handicap chase.
Haslam explained: ''I have now had a winner at every Flat and National Hunt course in the country apart from Cheltenham - and I have had some at many of those which have closed down. I would like to redress that and will have to one day, the only trouble is they don't have any claimers there.''
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